


Oath

by wifeofstark



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Interdimensional Travel, M/M, Minor Character Deaths, Sex, Sorcerer!Tony, Tony in Kamar Taj, Tonys off the grid, all side characters are from other fandoms lol, as usual Tony is good at everything, burn not that slow, continues from the end of Dr Strange, for some reason Hank and Connor are the main side characters, massive drunk mistake, mostly Stephen pov, sex outside
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2020-09-06 00:24:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 43,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20282338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wifeofstark/pseuds/wifeofstark
Summary: Stephen seeks a fix after destroying his hands in the accident and is lead to The Mechanic of Kamar-Taj. It turns out he's a familiar face.He signs two years of his life away to him and they don't go how he expected.





	1. Dr Strange Vol. 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, much of the dialogue in this chapter is straight from Dr Strange. Please power through it, I tried to make it as concise as possible so you're not reading the movie. Enjoy!
> 
> If you're a regular reader welcome back, I hope you like this. If you're new thank you for coming x

"Up. Up. Show me your strength"

He struggles to open his fingers to no prevail. How can such a simple action be so impossible? "It’s useless." He groans frustratedly.

"It’s not useless, man, you can do this." The young doctor encourages. If only he were right. The fact is he can't. He can't and it's embarrassing and his life is in pieces. 

"Then answer me this, bachelor’s degree. Have you ever known anyone with nerve damage this severe to do this, and actually recover?"

"I've seen it, with one guy. Factory accident, broke his back. Paralyzed. I personally found him under rubble, couldn't move his legs at all. When I came to the hospital later he was leaving. On foot"

Breathing is suddenly forgotten. "He walked?"

"Yeah, he walked."

He comes back to himself, knowing there must be a catch. "Bullshit. Show me his file."

"It can take me a while to pull the files from the archive. But if it proves your arrogant ass wrong, it’s worth it"

-

He talks to another useless expensive doctor, yells at Christine for even thinking he should give up and finds a file with a post it reading 'I told you so' when he's miserable and alone. It's the man who walked. 

"Jonathan Pangborn. Your spinal injury was complete" 

He steps away from his buddies playing basketball. "Who are you?" 

"Paralyzed from the mid-chest down. Partial paralysis of both hands."

"I don’t know you."

"I’m Stephen Strange. I’m a neurosurgeon. Was a neurosurgeon. You came back from a place there is no way back from. I… I’m trying to find my own way back." He holds up his hands. They shake like leaves and he'd do anything to make them stop. 

"Hey, Pangborn, you in it or not?" One of his friends on the court calls.

"Alright. I was waiting to be taken to the hospital with many others suffering less or worse than I was. Then a man showed up, he was wearing a crimson outfit. He examined each of us, touching some. When he touched me his eyes glowed blue and somehow…"

"Your body healed" he breathes, hanging on to every word of the story even though it sounds insane. 

"Yes. I settled for my miracle, and I came back home"

"Who was he?" 

"I don't know his face, it was covered up to his eyes, but I asked him his name and he said people called him The Mechanic. He sounded American"

"Where did the accident happen?" 

"Nepal. Kathmandu" 

"That's all you know?"

He nods. "Good luck."

-

Last dollar gone, he's in Kathmandu chasing a fairy tale.

With every person he asks about this Mechanic his doubt grows stronger. How could a broken spine possibly be fixed by a touch? It's not possible.

Glowing eyes aside the world punishes him once more, surrounding him with thugs just after he's kindly fixed up a limping dog. 

"Guys, I… I don’t have any money."

"Your watch."

"No, please. It’s all I have left."

"Your watch"

"All right." He reaches for his wrist but swings out to punch one guy instead. The regret is instant when pain shoots through his fingers and seemingly to the core of his heart.

The guys have him on the ground and he bites back yells with every kick to the back and stomach. Maybe he deserves all this, for the way he treated Christine. 

And now he might lose his life protecting her gift. 

The attack suddenly stops and he looks up from the dirty ground to see a man in a large overhanging hood taking them down like it's childsplay. His heart leaps at the thought he might be exactly what he was looking for.

The man helps him up, "You’re looking for The Mechanic? He resides in Kamar-Taj"

"Are you sure you got the right place? That one looks a little more...Kamar-Taj-y." He points at a building that looks much more like a temple than the old door they're standing at the foot of. 

He's looked at disapprovingly. "I once stood in your place. And I, too, was… disrespectful. So might I offer you some advice; forget everything you think you know".

That sobers the situation. "Uh… alright.

"The sanctuary of our teacher, the Ancient One.” He presents as they walk into a vast room with interesting patterns on the wooden walls and a detailed carpet on the ground. Warm light floods the space. 

It's there that he discovers just how little he really knows.

"Teach me" he begs the woman once he's secure in the real world, the one he knows to be the real world at least.

"No"

He's never felt devastation so profoundly from those two letters. Even five hours of sitting at the step outside doesn't fix his heart where it's shattered in the pit of his stomach. This is his last hope.

The sun is under the horizon when the door against his back gives way for him to fall back into his saviour. 

Mordo gives him a room, and a Wi-Fi password. He tries to email Christine but can't find the words. 

-

When he wakes the Ancient One waits for him in the hall, a placid smile on and hands clasped behind her back like seems to be her usual.  
"I'll take you to meet the Mechanic"

Kamar-Taj may have been disappointing at the entrance but when they step out onto the courtyard he realises it's a disguise of greatness. The place is majestic, with the mountains visible in the distance and a group of people in plain robes doing what looks like combat training under the rising sun. 

They cross the square and enter another building, going straight through that too. The next outside zone is incredible. There are two house sized structures with notable bonnet roofs. Paths lead up to each of them but everywhere else is covered in greenery; healthy grass, rose bushes, sunflowers, all contrast the orange sand he'd seen so much of hours ago. It's a different world. 

He follows the Ancient One up to the path to the house on the left and looks at him when they stand in front of the door. "Now is the best time to remind you to forget everything you think you know"

"Is he a dragon?" 

She laughs softly. "No, only a man, a very important one though"

"Is he your equal?"

"No I still run things around here. He is however much more powerful than I am" 

It's confusing, that the leader is not the most powerful. Maybe it's about age, If the 'Ancient One' is any indication. 

Regardless he expects an old man to greet them. However when the door swings open seemingly on its own accord there's a young guy sitting at the desk inside, looking at them over a thick book. 

He can't be too much older than him. Maybe he's the Mechanics assistant.

"Dr Strange, come in," he says, starting the book on the table. He's glad to not have to correct another person on his title and also sceptical as to how he knows his name. 

He looks to the Ancient One for answers but she's gone.

Remembering to forget, he enters the house and closes the door behind him slowly.

The man circles his desk to greet him and all he's struck with is how uncanny his resemblance is to Tony Stark. He can’t be him though. 

"It's good to meet you. I'm Tony Stark" 

Tony Stark was kidnapped in Afghanistan and that was the last time he was ever seen. It was all over the news for months. When the terrorists were found he wasn't. To everyone he's dead, hope lost. When Stephen passes the Stark Tower in Manhattan the memorial statue of him outside always catches his eye. 

"You've been missing for 8 years" he breathes. Looking at not news photos or bronze, but flesh and bone. 

"Yet I am here before you. What do you think that means?" He gestures at himself. As described he's wearing deep red, a sleeveless tunic with a high neck. The edges and details of it are lined with gold embroidery. 

"Either you're alive or there were definitely hallucinogens in that tea" 

"I'm flattered I would he a subject of your waking dreams but I'm in fact very alive" 

"So… you went from selling weapons to repairing spines with the touch of a hand. How?" It feels like even his skull is frowning. 

"Magic" its unsettling that after what he's seen he almost believes him. 

"And you're the Mechanic?" 

"Yes. Repair, heal and protect" he makes a triangle with his fingers.

"Could you really heal me?"

"I don't know, show me your hands" he extends a hand and Stephen reluctantly places his own in it. Stark caresses his palm and watches. Blue flashes in his big brown eyes and he returns Stephens hand his side. 

He leans back against his desk, pressing his palms to it and crossing his ankles. "Your damage is too complex to heal on the spot but I may be able to invent something to fix it"

His heart flutters and sinks all at one. "But you fixed Pangborn" 

"That was only 're attaching a bone. You have nerve damage, it's far too delicate for me to fix"

"That hardly seems fair"

He crosses his arms and regards him amusedly. He doesn't remember Stark being this muscled. "Sorcery is much more of a science than you think Strange" 

"Fair. I apologise I should be appreciating that you'd even help me"

"Correct. However my help comes at a price" 

"I have nothing left" he could find a way, he has to. 

"Not money. I think a trade"

"What do you want? I'll give you anything" 

"A short two years of service with us" he proposes. 

"What? Are you nuts? For all I know you guys could be a child sacrificing cult. What do you even do?"

"Protect our earth against threats from other dimensions"

He can't believe the last 48 hours of his life. "You want me to be your magical soldier?" 

"Yes! You learn sorcery and you probably won't even have to fight. Win win" he grins.

"Two years is ridiculous" He says in a lower tone than before. 

"Is it? You're a young guy. Look, the way I see it is you agree to get your hands fixed and lose two years here but return be a surgeon for the next thirty years or so, or walk out that door and leave that career behind forever" He points at the door and Stephen has to admit he makes a good argument.

"For all I know you're a fraud" it could all be a set up, maybe Tony Stark is a high level illusionist or a scammer. It might even be possible that Pangborne was in on it all, an associate in the twisted scheme to make him a modern day slave. 

Stark walks over to one of the many bookcases in the room and observes a vase of blue roses upon it. They're so vibrant one might think they glow. He pulls them off the surface and the sound of the vase shattering makes Stephen jump. 

He's definitely in a madhouse. 

"Come closer" 

He carefully steps toward him, leaving the broken vase in between their feet. Is that his fate?

Stark looks him in the eye and he watches them swirl from brown to blue. It's as if the tide is dashing over them. 

There's a glow from below and when he looks down the vase sits completely intact and in order. He steps away from it in shock.

"Could a fraud do that?" He says smugly. 

He swallows. "How long would it take you to fix me?" 

"In between my other duties I'd say 3 to 4 months" he says as he returns the vase to its position on the bookcase. 

"What will you invent?" 

"I'm thinking a glove or skeleton structure to support your palm and fingers"

What other choice does he have? "Okay fine. Where do I sign?" 

Smiling, Stark rounds his desk and sits, seemingly producing a pocket knife from thin air and slicing his finger clean open, like he's immune to pain. Stephen watches perplexed as he draws a circle with his blood on the desk and splits it with a straight line. 

The strangest part of it all though is the way the gash in his finger closes up and disappears right before their eyes, leaving no trace of existence. 

Stark flicks his wrist and the knife in it becomes a needle; "if you just prick your finger and press it to this line"

"Couldn't we just do a written contract?"

"We could but I can't be bothered with all that. Also if we break this we go on Santa's naughty list. Much more thrilling" he winks. As he takes the needle he notes that Starks language seems to have fallen from cryptic formal to normal speak.

The prick doesn't hurt his damaged finger much and he presses it to Starks blood, waiting for something to explode. 

"You now vow to serve us for a 24 month period in exchange for a repair of your hands to the best of my ability and no less. Agreed?" 

"Agreed" 

The circle shines a white light then disappears, leaving the desk unblemished, as it was. He needs a drink.

"It's a pact. Now should I give you an induction?"

The man who's practically a ghost in the western world shows him around the place; highlighting the library, training areas and last of all Stephens permanent room. It's a lot closer to his hut. Only a minute walk. 

When they return to Starks office he sits on his desk and claps his hands together, "So. I will be your mentor so to speak, Mordo will help me teach you and the Ancient One is always around supervising. I've given the librarian, Wong, a list of the books I want to start you off with. Your only task for the day is to start on them"

"And you'll start on my thing?"

"Not right now, we have a bit of an issue with a former disciple and a missing page of a book but I should start planning what I want to do for you tonight. Now you run along to the library" he shoos him in a gesture.

"Thank you Mr Stark"

He smiles kindly. "Please, call me Tony"


	2. Dr Strange Vol. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaecilius attacks the masters, but not before Tony attacks Stephen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter that follows the plot of the movie. Sorry in advance that the pacing is super awful but I just wanted to get this part out of the way.

By the second book he knows he's changed completely. This world is no longer ridiculous to him, its fascinating. In a week he burns through book after book until Wong, who's rather fed up of him, or more accurately fed up of everything, shows him the advanced books. 

When Wong tells him the book of Caglioso is missing a page he remembers what Tony had said. Someone that used to train in Kamar-Taj wants to manipulate time in what is a forbidden ritual. 

The second week of his stay introduces him to a sling ring. He's excited at first, to have the ability to travel anywhere in seconds, but unlike the students that surround him he can't seem to make it work. And that's how it is until day three of failed attempts, when the Ancient One supervises. 

He's thrown into sub zero temperatures and the fear of death makes him believe just enough to save his sorry ass.

The days pass and he improves, works harder, learns more, and finally manages to shave his beard into a goatee and trim the wild from his hair. He's hated looking like a washed up sailor with burned edges. It's always been sharp angles and crisp presentation for him. When he walks around the sanctum after a far too lengthy and painful grooming session he feels more confidence, more right to stand where he does. It's worth all the effort. 

The first order of business is to see Wong about Astral Projection. And the second is swiping the books from the library using portals when he's denied access. 

On day two of mastering it he's reading up on it while floating outside of his body. It's an exhilarating experience not to mention fascinating to see his body lying limp while he reads at the foot of the bed.

He's distracted from the book though when Stark walks right into his room. 

He's not all that happy to see him and that's outside of the invasion of privacy. He's only seen the guy twice in the month he's been at Kamar-Taj and when he did it was seeing him in the distance with the Ancient One. The first time they seemed to be having an animated discussion, him gesturing a lot and her smiling with her hands behind her back. The second time he was getting lectured, if her drawn in brows and his sunken shoulders were any indication. He hasn't spoken to Stephen since that first time at all though, and they had a deal.

"Jesus stop looking at me like I killed your dog. I have something for you" he gestures at the rolled up sheet of paper under his arm and it has Stephen abandoning his book and approaching. 

"You've advanced scarily quickly. Astral Projection already god" He looks Stephens projection up and down, impressed. It boosts him, the approval, and he's not sure why. 

"The mystic arts are more interesting than I anticipated"

Tony looks from him to his body, passed out on the bed. "And you're hot now. When did that happen?" Despite the words he doesn't sound like he's flirting, just making an observation. It makes it more meaningful weirdly. 

"Let's see it then" he cast his eyes to the paper. 

Tony sits crossed legged on the floor and smooths out the roll. It's a huge chart with drawings and annotations and equations pertaining to possible options on stabilising his tremors. 

At once he feels a swell of hope and a loss of any negativity he felt toward Tony. Clearly hours of work are behind what he's being shown.

He makes quick work of studying a diagram for a pair of gloves, rings, bone support, a chip and more until he makes a conclusion on what works and what might not; "our best bet are the gloves but for discretion the skeleton is better" he murmurs, pointing at the drawings respectively. 

"Yea so the question is what do you want?" 

"Maybe the gloves, I don't like to see this" he holds his hands ahead of him and inspects the angry scars where there used to be pale perfect skin. 

"If it helps at all, I think they add character" 

"Yea have an accident and get back to me" he realises his mistake before Tony even gives him a look. The whole reason everybody thinks he's dead is because he was in a bombing, he has his accident and he has no right to assume it didn't come with scars. "Sorry" 

He offers a close lipped smile. "I wouldn't be here without my accident, I'm thankful. I'm sure you will be too" 

"Why did you change? From selling weapons I mean" he's never been a big fan, being a doctor, so he isn't complaining. It's just strange to go for, a weapons tycoon to a mystical healer. 

"The man who saved me after those explosions opened my eyes to what my life really means and he gave me a power I knew I had to use for good. It's the least he deserved after dying just for me to escape" he seems distant when he says it, like he's reliving that time.

Stephen doesn’t know the first thing about comforting people so he doesn't try. "Was he from here?"

"Yes. He was our resident doctor until he set out to Afghanistan" 

"To do what?" 

"Find a stone capable of great things. It was believed to be a myth by most but he found it"

If he were to deduce, the doctor gave Tony so called stone and it saved him. He doubts he should ask, if he's learned one thing from Wong is that answers shouldn't always be immediate, or in layman's terms, he needs to shut the hell up.

So he diverts his attention to the diagrams, specifically the science and math, and snags on something detailing nervous reconstruction. "Hey this is a little off" 

And so they spend the whole night working on the gloves.

He quickly learns that when people said Tony Stark was a genius they actually meant it, he's the only person who not only keeps up with him but turns the table and has him chasing at his heels. The guy isn't dubbed he Mechanic for nothing, his engineering skills shine brightly as they dive in to functionality. 

He also learns that Tony's pleasant, not an asshole as one would expect from a billionaire weapons developer. He's funny enough to pull smiles out of him and always let's him speak, considering his ideas rather than dismissing them. And he could dismiss them, since his brain is on a level above anything he's ever encountered before. 

"Alright. Thank you for your help I'll be getting some sleep now" Tony says, standing up and bending backwards until his back faintly clicks. He comes up painless, since his real body sleeps, but there's an awful sense of exhaustion in his mind along with a dull throb.

"Mordos picking you up tomorrow to start combat training" he adds as he rolls up the plans with their new notes on them. 

"You know you said you're my mentor but you haven't taught me anything"

He smirks, "Wait until Mordo deems you fit to fight me. Then you'll learn crushing defeat."

"Can't wait" 

Tony goes to the door and throws a smile behind him before leaving. He's attractive, more than he was when he was alive, so to speak. Instead of black slicked hair he has brown, short fluffy locks and he's aged well. All in all he's inviting with those round eyes and nice smiles. 

_

As promised Mordo collects him and explains relics in the square. Then proceeds to attack him rather ruthlessly considering he's a beginner. However, he perseveres, using the little power he has to create rudimentary weapons and spends a lot of time dodging. 

By the third day of practice he can actually hold his own against Mordo but also can't feel his legs. ‘To win one must lose’ is something he read from one of the books at the temple. It wasn't wrong. 

"Wow the rookie has moves" the two of them look up to see Tony watching with arms crossed over his red robes. Stephen let's Mordo out of his headlock. 

"Am I ready for you then?" He asks. Tony seems very amused by it. 

"Mordo?"

"Not even a little"

"Shame. I'll be back in a few says" and off he walks, the tail of his top swaying behind him.

Stephen shoots Mordo a look. Considering he was the one just in a headlock he's offended by the words.

"I saved you Strange. Trust me when I tell you he's not good at holding back"

"Have you ever beaten him?" 

Mordo snorts. "Of course not. He fights with an unfair advantage"

"And that is?" He frowns, rubbing his knuckles. 

"The Eye of Horus" he says, way too casually for the words. 

"That's not real" he fears he's wrong, that if portals and mirror dimensions are real then a relic from Egyptian myth might be too. 

"Most likely not, but we think that the stone inspired the myth of Horus. It heals, protects and repairs, just the same. So we call it that"

"That's interesting" the stone could have been forged in the very beginnings of Earth. The Egyptians might have used it to prosper.

"Stark has endless endurance and heals from injury in seconds. He could defeat a whole army with no more than a scuff on his sleeve"

"So he keeps the stone?" It fits together, with Tony's story about the doctor and the stone. 

"Yinsen believed that he was worthy of it. I won't go against his judgement and Stark has proved to be just in his use of it" 

A but hangs at the end of that sentence. 

"But you think it's unfair that it can't be shared?" He guesses.

"Well of course. Do you know how big that stone is?" At that Stephen has to wonder where Tony keeps it. 

"Could it even be broken down?"

Mordo leads the way back inside. "No that's not advisable. What I'm saying is that some of us have been struggling for years only for him to pass us in weeks"

"This isn't a competition," he points out, angling to pass two young disciples in the plain robes he used to wear. He's not sure if having blue and red options now means he's special in some way. 

"Those words surprise me coming from you"

He finds Mordo has a point. For him it's always been about maintaining a record, bring better than the rest. Kamar Taj has changed him a lot though.

_

The next day of training he almost breaks the space time continuum with a green stone and discovers he was 'born for the mystic arts' but the day after, standing head to head with Tony, feels more exhilarating. All he's heard about is how unbeatable he is and even though he knows he's likely to end up in the dust he just wants to see what exactly makes him so amazing. 

"I heard you did something naughty yesterday" He's standing relaxed, hands in pockets, while Stephens poised to fight. 

He raises a brow. "And what? You decided to punish me?"

"You know everything you say to me is an innuendo right? Does someone have a crush on their teacher?" 

He doesn't bother quip back, instead lunges for him in an attempt to get him on the floor. Tony stumbles out of the way by the skin of his teeth.

He doesn't let him rest, elbow coming down. But a hand slaps against his chest and a blue pattern forms around it. Stephen goes flying back. 

The attack itself doesn't hurt but smashing into the weapons rack does. Things clatter and roll on the ground around him. He picks up an axe and immediately regrets it when he realises how heavy it is. 

Tony smiles. Then sinks to one knee. His hand smacks the ground and in a glow of blue he pulls a huge sword from it. It's like the weapons Mordo taught him to create, purely made of trans dimensional magic, but he hasn't gotten to the level Tony's at. 

So while he can barely hold up an axe he's threatened with a sword the size of his leg. Perfect. 

They run at each other and Tony blocks his overhand, then a swing from the side, and at that point he has to drop the weapon if he wants to keep his arms attached. 

He bends backward to avoid a blue flash of sword, then rolls away from the second attack, scrambling for an out. A baton Mordo showed him answers. Stephen grabs it and shoves it hard into Tony's stomach. When he grunts and doubles over a bit he darts behind him and kicks his knees, falling with him until he's flat on the ground and Stephens knees are on either side of his hips. 

He smiles down triumphantly when Tony swivels to face him. "I win"

"You're too goddamn smart that's the problem" he groans. 

"Well that's very kind" 

"This isn't over though"

Suddenly they're falling. The air around them roars and he sees the floor of the square they were just at approaching quickly. 

Freaking out, he looks to Tony who just smiles and shows him his sling ring. God knows how he makes falling look graceful, as casual as walking to the store. 

When he's sure Tony's just killed them both, that they're going to burst red all over the stone floor, he hears a familiar windchime sound and the ground is bouncy. He hits it and flies back up from momentum, eventually laying still from losing it. When he props himself up on his hands though it's dusty stone again. 

"You rely too much on real world dynamics" 

He turns to his right to watch Tony closing in with one thin blade in each hand. 

Stephen surprises himself at how many jabs he dodges while scrambling for footing. He throws up a shield enchantment to finally catch his breath and rethink strategy. 

Just as Tony breaks through the shield he creates a tall wall between them with the floor. The point of the mirror dimension is to break and reconstruct after all. 

All of a sudden there's a hand over his mouth and a glowing blue blade to his neck. "You gave yourself a blind spot. Not the smartest. Well done on the wall though" Tony's voice says by his ear. 

With all his strength he spins around and crushes Tony against the same wall, enough to have him loosen his grip and dip out with nothing but a scrape on his jaw from the blade. He books it to the other end of the square and leans up against a pillar, waiting for Tony to have to approach him.

He hadn't thought that he would fuse the blades together and stretch them into a bow. He holds it up and an arrow materialises upon his fingers. It zooms through the air and stops with the faintest pressure against his chest. 

He's lost. If they were really fighting he'd be dead.

Tony doesn't sympathise with the disappointment, grinning as he collapses the mirror dimension around them. "That was awesome! You did great" 

The arrow at his chest breaks and scatters like that vase he dropped on their first meeting. Just like that it's gone. 

"Yea well you're insane" he breathes once they're close enough to talk. 

"Maybe one day I'll let you fight me at my full potential"

"That wasn't- of course it wasn't" he groans. It's almost a joke how powerful he is. "So does the stone you have to all that?" 

"No I had to learn sorcery just like you. It just provides me with enhanced power. If you put a pedestrian on steroids they still wouldn't out perform a pro. No technique" it makes a lot of sense, the way he puts it. 

"How did you make those weapons?" They were incredible, he seems to have one for any situation.

"Tip for you, you can create any weapon as long as you know how it's composed; the weight of a sword, types, ratio of blade to handle, tightness of bow string, length of arrow" he lists off. 

"So you studied?"

"Yea people think I just got the Eye and could suddenly do all this. Hell no. The Ancient One knows I couldn't handle myself at all when I first came here" 

"Well I gotta practice then"

It's good to know that he isn't really a cheat, instead a hard worker paying for his gift in a helpful way. 

Tony's hand settles on his shoulder. "Seriously you're really good. I'm so impressed by your progress. Keep it up" 

Yet again, for some reason he enjoys the praise. 

_

Reports come in about the London sanctum attack. They dispatch Tony and some others. 

Stephens left ambling the New York Sanctum until a man with a purple symbol on his forehead and grey cracked under eyes turns up. It must be Kaecilius, the sorcerer that stole the page of Caglioso. 

He stops him and his lackeys from attacking the sanctum master but not for long. In the end they attack and he's the first casualty. 

Stephen struggles the whole way through the fight, the only plus being the red cloak that saves his life and stays with him even as he stumbles into Metro General desperately calling for Christine. 

It's during that time that he kills a man. Something shrinks and rots deep inside him when he finds no pulse on the body. 

The next time he sees Tony it's after Mordo and him argue about the Ancient Ones eternal life and the ethics of murder. He only tells them the London sanctum has fallen with a distant look in his eyes before he's off to Hong Kong. 

Then Keacilius returns to the Greenwich sanctum and they end up back at Metro for a much worse reason than his stab wound. 

When he's in the back room, eyes red from holding back tears, Tony bursts in a fluster of a man.

A wide expression settles on his face and he freezes at the doorway. "She's gone" he breathes. 

Stephen nods. They don't speak for what feels like two minutes. He's definitely crying. 

Tony walks up, softly holding his arm. "Are you okay?"

"I don’t understand what’s happening."

"I know." He smiles up at him, eyes warm and assuring. He was much closer to the Ancient One than Stephen, it takes strength to burn up inside but swallow it to help others. 

"But we have to go right now." He concludes. They have to protect Hong Kong. The Ancient One didn't die for nothing. 

"Christine said that losing my hands didn’t have to be the end, that it could be a beginning." He murmurs. 

"Yeah. There are other ways to save lives."

It's not about you.

"A harder way."

"A weirder way."

They share smiles and head out, the cloak wiping at his tears. He loves it already. 

They meet Wong and Mordo on a busy Hong Kong Street, in front of a dull and unlit sanctum in comparison to the neon signs everywhere. 

They fight, fail, rewind and fail again. 

But two words give Stephen a solution; 'beyond time'. 

He uses the time stone and learns how it feels to die; painfully, painlessly, quick, intense, fleeting.

When it's all over he, Wong and Tony return to the New York Sanctum, to sit in the study only lit by a warm lamp.

"You’ll wear the Eye of Agamotto once you’ve mastered its powers. Until then, best not to walk the streets wearing an Infinity Stone." Wong says, referring to them returning the Eye to its place only minutes ago. 

"A what?" 

Wong huffs. "You might have a gift for the mystic arts, but you still have much to learn. Word of the Ancient One’s death will spread through the Multiverse. Earth has no Sorcerer Supreme to defend it. We must be ready."

"We’ll be ready" he assures straightening in his chair. 

"So what will it be? Sorcerer Supreme or NY Sanctum master?" Tony asks him, lounging on an armchair with limbs everywhere, like a tired, flung doll. He did polish off all of Kaecilius' followers, so he deserves to relax. 

He realises what he's just been asked. 

"Wait what? I'm not ready for-"

"You defeated Dormammu on your own" he interrupts. He can't exactly deny that. 

"The Ancient One wants me as sanctum master. I told her I couldn't at first but…" he hears her voice, saying Master Strange. 

"It's your choice in the end" 

The Ancient One made the choice to believe in him, he'd like to think. He has to do something with that. 

After short deliberation he nods once. "I'll be sanctum master"

"Alright, next order of business, after cheeseburgers, is to find a Sorcerer Supreme" Tony chirps. 

He and Wong look at each other, than at Tony. He seems to pick up the meaning of their stares in a few seconds and retreats into his chair. 

"No I'm not doing it"

"You've been with us for 8 years," Wong says. 

"Not enough."

"The Sorcerer Supreme is always the most powerful and wise Sorcerer we have," he explains. 

Tony's brows go up. "And you think that's me?"

"I think that's nobody but you"

He sighs eventually, posture relaxing again. "I'll fill in. For now"

"It's a start. Now we have much to do" Wong pushes himself out of his chair and steps through a portal to Kamar Taj. 

He and Tony follow, switching from a warm interior to Kathmandu's soft breeze and setting sun. The silence between them bleeds from the days wounds, from what they've lost. But it's peaceful, when only hours ago the dark dimension threatened to swallow the earth whole. 

Tony clasps his hands behind his back. It reminds him of the Ancient One and an ache hits his heart. "You'll sleep here tonight but I'll help you move into your sanctum tomorrow"

"I'll look after it in the meantime" Wong turns his head to say. 

"And Stephen I promised to mentor you and I've not stuck to that. Now that Kaecilius is gone you'll see more of me" 

When they reach the beautiful gardens surrounding the two houses at the back of Kamar Taj Wong breaks off to the one on the left, where the Ancient One resided. He and Tony are left on the path to his one. 

"Are you okay?" He asks, just like Tony asked him. He looks far away, sad, and so he should be. 

He steps over to a rose that hangs low, starting to unravel at its edges. A delicate touch of his fingers revives it instantly, as if completely fresh and healthy. Maybe he maintains the garden. "She's gone" 

He can't see his face but the fall of his shoulders says enough. When he comes to stand next to him his eyes are filled and gleaming.

"She told me you embraced selflessness completely, that you could prevent the things she couldn't," he says, recalling the way the lightning fickled between the grey clouds in slow motion as they spoke for the last time. 

Tony looks at him so vulnerably he's overwhelmed by the want to hug him close. "How could I be Sorcerer Supreme? When I couldn't stop Kaecilius?" 

"She couldn't either."

He blinks and drops fall from his eyes, trap in his long lashes. "I'm starting to think Yinsen was wrong"

"The Ancient One would disagree" 

He smiles. It's not even slightly happy. "I wish she was here to do that"

He watches Tony walk away and wants to tell him to stop, to follow. He can't let him go when he's hurting so much. 

His pain doesn't matter. It was never about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You got to the end? Honestly thank you this chapter sucks majorly. Next one is better promise.


	3. Dr Strange Vol. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's helping Stephen settle in to his title as a Master and apparently part of that is fighting ugly floating heads.

"That's it?" Tony looks from him to the cardboard box on his bed. It's contents are books, four folded robes, essentials, a razor, a tablet and the watch. 

"Cloaky we need to take your buddy shopping" 

The red fabric floating next to them nods. 

"Well come on, Jarvis is waiting" he opens a portal and slips his hands under the box to carry it.

"Who?" 

They enter the New York Sanctum and he follows Tony until they reach a bedroom. It's sadder than he expected, very dark and small, with a single bed, desk and bookcase. The only thing that's better than it was in Kamar Taj is the en suite. It looks to have been renovated recently. 

The room brightens when a blue thing floats in. It looks very much like Tony's magic. Also like a ball of fibres intricately overlapped. 

"Jarvis did you get lost?" He looks at the thing as he dumps the box on the bed. 

"That's not possible sir" it says back. Stephens startled that it speaks, especially with a mechanical undertone. 

"Well this is Stephen Strange"

"Good to meet you Doctor" it says, he wonders if Tony's told it that he's a doctor already. 

"How come we're only meeting now?"

"I'm usually in Mr Starks pocket"

"And back you go" Tony takes out a square of glass with a metal base and the blue ball flies into it, becoming a 2D image of itself floating within the panes. 

"What is that?"

He opens the slim wardrobe with a flourish "Back when I ran SI he was my secretary. He still is now but I've transferred him from the network into a mystical body so to speak"

Its genius, should be impossible. Tony's broken through a lot of things he's thought were impossible though. 

"A sentient AI"

"About right. Now, about being Sanctum Master, obviously part of your job to protect the sanctum but also you're in charge of threats in the continent's of North and South America"

He's lost for words for a moment. He knew it'd be too much. "What? Just me?" 

He unfolds the first robe and hangs it. "Well no we have temples all over the globe with disciples that will be dispatched. However you'll be notified and the authority they'll go to if need be"

"This is an awful lot like you're the president, I'm one of three mayors and everyone else is a government employee" it frames it better. The sorcerer supreme is in charge of all and while his regional disciples answer to him he answers to Tony. 

"If that helps." He hangs a second robe. 

"You don't have to do all this"

He smiles over his shoulder. Its unsaid but he must know Stephens hands ache from too much use. "I've got some free time. You hungry?" 

He thinks about it and realises he hasn't even considered food. "I don't think I've eaten since the London Sanctum fell"

Tony chuckles. "Yea neither have I. There's a deli close to here, we can go"

"How does Tony Stark go anywhere in New York?" He sits on the bed and lifts his books out of the box.

Tony taps the side of his nose and winks. It must be something to do with sorcery. 

When the box is empty Tony opens a portal to the deli. It's interesting that all his spells are tinted blue. When usually the burning rim of a portal is orange his is a cool blue. 

Stephen watches him pull over a wide hood and lift a mask over his face, it covers from chin to nose. The hood is red and pointed with a gold strip and downward facing triangle. The mask bears the same symbol. It must be his mark. 

The last thing that changes is his eyes, they once again swirl from brown to blue, but with no unnatural vibrancy, just regular blue irises. That's the trick then. 

He follows him through the portal by the delis entrance and through the glass doors. The place is what you'd expect, white tiled floor, white walls, two square tables in the corner and the smell of several meats permeating in the air around them. No customers to be seen. 

"Mr Mechanic, been a while" a huge man with an orange band around his hairline smiles brightly at them.

"You really can just call me Nic" Tony says. 

"But we both know that isn't really your name"

They both order subs, Stephen thoughtfully and Tony like he comes every day, and take them back to the Sanctum. They go back to the study they were the day before.

"Does anyone actually call you Nic?" He asks as Tony turns on the lamp. 

Instead of taking the armchair he sits crossed legged on the carpet. Stephen mirrors him. "Yea. The Avengers" 

He's sure his eyebrows disappear into his hair. "You know the Avengers?"

"I formed the Avengers, went to the Director of Shield about it, I was tired of us dealing with this worldly crime when we have bigger things to focus on" 

"Well shit" he almost think he sees is brows taking flight. 

"Black Widow and Hawkeye know my true identity. Spies am I right? They've kept it very quiet thankfully" He says, biting into his sub.

"Who else knows, outside of this?" He gestures around them.

"Pep, the CEO of SI and my best girl, my best man Colonel Rhodes and my rock Happy. Also yea the Director of Shield and some of the Avengers." 

"I'm really shocked it hasn't been leaked" he comments, starting on his own sub. It's good. 

"Would you believe it if I told you I saw Michael Jackson on the street? No. Leaks never gain traction" 

"You're missing not dead"

"8 years says dead all over it"

"Don't you wish you could just walk the street freely?" He asks, curious. 

He shrugs. "Sometimes I think it'd be nice to walk in a park sure but I'm not unhappy over it"

Stephen nods, they continue eating in companionable silence. It hits him that he's really sitting on the floor with the Tony Stark. Tony Stark who had a global enterprise under him, an expo, billions and billions. Tony Stark who sits on the floor and takes huge bites out a sub from a normal New York sandwich joint. 

"This is the job you know. The majority of being a sanctum master is waiting for something to happen"

"Speaking of job, is there a pay system? I only ask because I can't expect you to pay for all my meals"

He waves a hand, probably telling him not to sweat it. "You get a monthly payment yea, not enough to treat yourself to a new rolex, just enough for food and other bits. You live here bill free of course"

"No bonuses?" He's kidding but Tony's ready with an answer.

"I personally get pay packages from Shield when I assist or consult on a mission. I'll give them your details too" 

"Don't worry a-"

"No you have the skills. Definitely Avenger standard"

"Really?" Fighting Keacilius he was a mess, even if the end result was successful. He has a lot of learning to do. 

"Hey, I have my eye on a new recruit and he flies around in a onesie" 

He snorts. "Classy"

Tony balls up his empty sandwich rap and tosses it in a bin next to the desk. "So Stephen, who did you leave behind?" 

"My ex girlfriend, you probably saw her at Metro, and… Well…" 

Nobody else. 

"Ah, a man who had everything, but nothing" he hits the nail on the head really. That is what he was. He had the car, the house, the clothes, the job and the perfection but those are all hollow structures. 

"That was me, back when all I had was Rhodey who was always picking me up, probably because he has a big heart," he adds. 

"Well I've lost my career and money, I have nothing and nothing" even those empty everything's are gone. He never lived for anything more than his career. Now he's stumbling for purpose. 

"Don't say that, you have Wong and I, and Mordo. God I almost forgot cloaky" 

"I suppose" Tony’s smile makes him warm but no less empty.

_____

Three days later Tony's giving him a tour of the sanctums relic room;

"This slab is very useful, like an intranet. It shows priority tasks, your watch list, area threats, all of it" 

There's a round window in the room, letting in a flood of daylight. It makes the gold in Tony's robes sparkle. 

A message appears on the slab perfectly in sync with the distant sound of an explosion. The stone reads a road name only two blocks away.

"Time to get some action" Tony sighs, opening a portal after donning his Mechanic disguise.

People scream and abandon their cars. One vehicle is on fire. In the middle of the road floats a giant angry head in a yellow protective casing. It's the most disgusting thing he's ever seen and he was a neurosurgeon.

"Stephen this is MODOK. He likes murder and is ugly. MO this is my buddy Stephen" 

"Enough. I came for the stone" the thing says, in a screech mechanical voice. 

Tony doesn't answer, instead wrapping all the empty cars on the road in blue tendrils and throwing them at MODOK like they don't weigh a thing. He however stops them in thin air and there's a push and pull of forces leaving them terse, jerking back and forth. 

Stephen knows it's an opening, the thing is busy pushing back against Tony. He portals above it and lands on it, veering it off course. The cars all smash onto the road and the two of them land the same. The road scrapes his knuckles as he rolls from the impact. 

He dodges a pink beam so narrowly it burns the fabric of his sleeve. 

A blue spear cuts through the air and stabs MODOK right between his yellow glowing eyes. He screeches in mostly static and spins like he's losing control. 

Tony lands in front of him and faces MODOK as he recovers, the spear falling out of his thick skin. Dark blood runs down his nose. 

There's a flare of pink and Stephen breathlessly watches it split over the surface of a human sized shield attached to Tony's forearm. 

He scrambles to stand and creates an orange blade, portalling behind MODOK to jam it in his back. There's no screeching, he must not have hit flesh, but the jetpack holding him up starts cutting out and yet again he destabilizes. 

"Damn wizards" he yells, spinning to face him. The pink stone in his forehead flares and he knows a beam is coming. It would have gone straight through his chest if Tony hadn't shoved him out of the way. 

It feels like all sound has died out. Tony stands slumped to one side. There's blood bursting out of a hole in his shoulder. Through the dread Stephen manages to cast a large mandala to protect them. 

Tony's eyes look dead, not focused on even the floor they point at. Then they glow and the hole starts closing up. 

Two things happen at once, Tony slumps into him and something lands square on MODOK. A round shield with a star on it stares right at him. 

There's another pink blast and Captain America goes flying into the air, protected from injury by his shield. 

Tony yanks free from Stephens hold and runs around his shield, jumping and landing with two long blades in his hands. They sink all the way into MODOK. His short metal limbs stop moving. 

A helicopter is already at the scene, people dressed in black protective gear dropping down on rope. Cars with sirens pull up too. Police and unmarked. 

Tony approaches the captain, who's picking himself up off the ground, and Stephen catches up. 

"Nice timing Cap" he says as he helps the man up.

Stephen had never thought about how Steve Rogers would look outside of uniform. In a grey shirt and jeans he looks like the run of the mill unrealistically good looking neighbour. Not his type though. 

"I was nearby, sorry I couldn't help sooner" Stephen watches Tony's grip loosen on his wrist but his lingers for a moment. 

"No prob boss. Good we nabbed him" he moves to give his shoulder a pat. 

He chuckles. "Yea finally. I've been trying to for two years" 

The three of them watch six guys struggle to transport MODOKs withering form into a truck and it's more funny than it should be. 

"Who's this?" Rogers asks, looking Stephen up and down curiously. He feels bare without his cloak, having left it in the library to hang out with Jarvis. 

"Stephen Strange. The master of our New York sanctum. Stephen this is Steve Rogers" 

"Nice to meet you Captain" Rogers grasps his hand more tightly that he can handle and he bites back a wince. It's not his fault so he doesn't comment on it. 

"You too. Are you going to be alright Nic? I saw you get blasted" He directs to Tony.

Stephen doesn't know whether to laugh at the name or at what he's just noticed in Rogers' behaviour.

"I’m perfect. Do you need a ride?" Tony asks him. It’s still bizarre that he can heal like that, bizarre and wonderful that he isn’t dying on the floor. 

He rubs at the scuffs on his jeans and picks his shield up from the floor. "Shield would be good"

"Alright tell Fury I say hi" Tony opens a portal in front of him. 

"Take care. If you need me I'm only a call away" He smiles at him before stepping through and disappearing from Manhattan. 

"Somethings funny" Tony observes as they stroll back to the Sanctum. Many police officers step to approach them but they're all stopped by one of the all blacks. They must be Shield. 

Stephen gives up the amused snort he's been holding down. "He's so into you"

His brows go up into the low hanging hood. "What? You mean Steve?"

"Yes. It's so obvious didn't you know?' 

"No. Why- What?" 

"He told you to call him"

"And?" 

It's not the words, it's the longing in his eyes when he said it, like he's ready to sit in front of the phone for hours for him. It's the lingering of his touch and the way Stephen could have pulled his head off of his shoulders and he wouldn't even notice, so caught up in Tony's faux blue eyes. 

He doesn't say it though. "You're a genius. Figure it out" 

When they step back into the sanctum he wonders why deep down he doesn't want Tony to figure it out at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels so short sorry


	4. Dr Strange Vol. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Stephen are called to action by the Avengers when Detroit is under siege

Tony isn't in the main room when the door of his house opens on its own. Stephen takes his time looking around, now that he has the chance. 

Tony's tidy, but not to an obsessive degree. There are three books on the corner of his desk and the rest lie straight in the bookcase. At peeking he finds all three of the books are in something other than English. Sanskrit, something he doesn't recognise and Japanese. The last one isn't sorcery related, instead literature. 

The left wall is a dark autumn colour and small frames hang on it, vast spaces between them. One captures Tony next to a ginger woman, the CEO of SI. He's grinning and she's failing to hold back a smile. They're cheek to cheek. He recognises the well in the background, it was taken in Kamar Taj. 

Next is a woman sitting at a piano, she's blond and has a nice smile. Maybe she's his mother. 

There are two more photos, one of Tony at an airport wearing a leather jacket and shades with his arms slung around two guys. One in army uniform and the other in a smart suit. The next is a selfie of him and the Ancient One. She's holding the camera and smiling brightly and he's looking at her in utter shock. It makes Stephen chuckle. He's surprised too that she would even know what a phone is, but it's a silly assumption.

Her presence is missed by them all. 

A door on the right side of the room floats open and the last thing he notices before he goes through is that the vase on the bookcase has not blue roses but a single purple sunflower in it.

Stairs going down face him and he descends slowly, confused as to what he might find. Maybe a fountain of blue energy from which Tony gets his power, or a garden full of blue and purple plants. 

"Stephen Strange. Welcome" Jarvis voice says. The glass door at the foot of the steps opens and he passes through to find a workshop. It's so starkly different from the other room he feels like he's stepped through a portal. The floor is pale blue and the rooms full of surfaces. Some metal benches with tools, others black tables with huge computers on them. It looks as if every spot has a project going on in it. 

"Hey" Tony says. He's sitting at a table in the corner with something glowing in front of him and in his hand. 

"What is this place?" He asks, more focused on the way Tony looks. He's wearing a v neck jumper and thin rimmed square glasses. He looks soft to the touch. And when he smiles Stephen feels soft in his heart. 

"My workshop, where the magic happens" he twists his blue soldering iron between his fingers, grinning. Stephen decides he definitely looks best that way. 

"You really are a mechanic" He murmurs, sitting on a stool at the table. 

"It's what I love" 

He feels empty realising he doesn't have that, something he loves. He thought he loved cars and watches and his job but he'd be a fool to still believe that. 

"I'm working on your gloves"

He looks down at a group of straight lines forming the shape of a hand. They glow faintly and float over the balck slab on the wooden table. "How far are you?"

"Just the structure. Why?"

He considers if he wants to continue. "Is it too late to change to the skeletal one?"

"No. What made you change your mind?"

"Gloves are hiding. I don't think I want to do that" if he wants to be sanctum master he should stand proud despite his scars. They got him here. They're his fault. 

"I agree. Well, I shouldn't have the right, all I do is hide" He smiles but it's watery. 

"You have to I'm sure"

"I don't mean from the public, I mean I hide this" he rubs at the centre of his chest.

"So the stone is… inside you?" 

Tony takes his hand and leads it until the tips of his fingers touch soft fabric. He looks up at him, to make sure he's sure, and when he nods he presses the rest of his hand. 

It definitely feels like a stone. As he runs his fingers over the shape of it he finds it's round, but not perfectly. It's got edges like a diamond.

"How di- how did it get in there?" He feels the seam between stone and skin, if feels seamless but god knows if he has scars or if it's painful. 

"I was passed out. I think Yinsen cut me open and bound it with my flesh with some kind of sorcery"

"What was he saving your from?" The stone is warm. Maybe from use. 

"Shrapnel going to my heart. It's still in there"

He withdraws his fingers and drops his hand in his lap. "Jesus"

"Some people say it's selfish of me to keep it but I would die without it you know?" He shrugs. It doesn't hide the heaviness of his shoulders. 

"You look like you feel bad about that"

"Oh course I do. I don't want to be the special boy, the one that got greatness without earning it"

He's so real, strikingly so. Tony feels, he has insecurities, he's so good in his heart. Where he's empty Tony's so full, even if some of those feelings are plagued by low esteem. 

"You did earn it, just after you got the stone instead of before" 

Tony opens his mouth, surely to argue, but nothing comes out. Stephen can't hide that he feels smug and earns a kick in the shin for it. 

The table starts buzzing and Tony reaches for his phone, pressing it between his ear and shoulder to talk. Stephen watches the way he presses the black end of his glasses to his lip and drags it down slightly. 

"Hey Nat what's up? [... ] Nepal […] coming" He puts the glasses on the table and stands with a stone look on his features. 

"What is it?"

"Huge robots are destroying Detroit" He says, opening a portal and transforming into his red and gold robes all at once. 

"Well shit this is my life now" he groans, following Tony into what one could only call an apocalypse. Screaming and sirens surrounds them. The ground shakes with short intervals. Smoke, fire, rubble on the ground. 

It's like New York all over again. 

Then he looks up and the robots are the size of two skyscrapers. There's three of them. 

"Shit"

"Stephen we need to focus on clearing the city" as Tony walks towards the closest screams Stephen floats up with the cloak. 

"Hey! Detroit police stop right there"

They both turn to a middle aged man with long silver hair pointing a gun between them, clearly lost at the scene around him and with a cut cheekbone bleeding into his beard. 

Stephen lands, holding his hands up. "We're here to help, the Avengers called us" 

A car parks right behind the guy and a younger man steps out. "It's okay Lieutenant" he pushes the man's wrist down and it goes easily. "we need help clearing the buildings" he directs to them. 

"Fucking supers" the gruff man grumbles, putting his gun away.

Tony nods. "Tell us where to go" 

The guy gives them oddly specific instructions about which buildings to clear first and with the backdrop of the Hulk ripping out wires and Scarlet Witch shooting pink beams, Stephen, Tony and the young officer clear out homes and shops, sending the people to the Lieutenant to be taken to safety. 

Eventually though one of the robots, sentinels according to Detective Connor, comes close to them and their job has to be to shut it down. 

"Tony?" Stephen grabs his shoulder but he keeps watching the detective, eyes rapt and calculating. Stephen foolishly inexplicably hopes it isn't because he finds him attractive. 

"You go, I need to speak to Connor" Tony walks up to the two officers calling commands through comms and a resounding shake of the ground jerks Stephen away from the situation and toward the towering purple and blue robots. 

He flies into the sky until he's elbow height with it and tries not to feel daunted by just how long it took. 

Scarlett Witch is close by, blasting at the thing from different angles. It suffers damage but not enough to stop stomping on buildings.

It dawns on him that he's fighting with the Avengers. He has to show that he's powerful enough to stand up to the threats they face.

He scraps together a plan that begins with multiplying himself five times. He sends four of his copies to continue emptying out buildings and is left with one to explore the chrome machine and find weak points. 

He's only ever practiced the multiplication spell within the sanctum and never realised how torn his attention would be in a high stress situation. He has to focus on four different civilian situations and two viewpoints of the sentinel at once and he can almost hear his mind ripping at the seams. 

He floats lower to the ground and watches the feet of the beast. All steps are perfectly measured, it's on autopilot. 

He decides what he will do.

It takes opening a portal to his room to grab the earpiece Tony gave him and fitting it in his ear to start the plan. 

"Tony I need your help"

"Shoot" he replies, voice tumbling tight into his ear.

"I want to trip the sentinel up and have it fall on the buildings its already destroyed in its path. The area has to be clear of civilians"

"Connor says we have three people in the line of fire. I'll alert you when they're clear. Also stop using my name I'm gonna pitch you into the Avengers feed"

"How could he even know that?"

"Who's this?" A voice says. 

"Guys welcome Stephen Strange. He's the floating guy that looks like a child entertainer" Tony chirps. 

"There's two of those" a female voice comments. Most likely Scarlet Witch.

"Well he's one of them. And… you're clear"

Stephen and his twin get to work, summoning red ropes and flying quick circles to have its ankles wrapped as it takes a new step. 

The thing starts to stumble and he flies behind it to pull. It's so difficult he almost pulls his arm out of its socket but when it starts falling back all the hard work is done.

Then it dawns on him that when it hits the floor the impact will destroy much more than what hits.

But the robot is falling faster and there's hardly any time.

"Anyone got an idea to cushion the blow from this sentinel. It's urgent"

Scarlet Witch wraps it in her magic and it slows, but not quite enough. He panics in a scramble to think of a spell to help when it's so close to the floor. 

The Hulk lands from the sky and reaches up its arms just in time to catch the thing in the centre of its back. A relieved exhale punches out of Stephen.

"Clint needs medical attention guys, ankle completely twisted out of shape" A deeper female voice communicates. 

Stephen flies over to the centre of this city where the other two sentinels. Ones had it's arm blown off but continues nonetheless. 

He finds Hawkeye on the ground hissing and holding his ankle. It's bad. There's also a gash in his leg, Black Widows holding a sort of tunicate to keep him from spilling out too much. 

Tony steps out of a portal in front of them and goes straight for Clints leg, covering his ankle with his hands. His eyes and the tips of his fingers glow blue and when he twists his ankle back into place Hawkeye doesn't react at all. 

He moves on to the gash and just like his own body does it closes up, only leaving the blood that already leaked down his leg and onto the floor.

"Thanks man" he tells him, taking an offered hand and getting to his feet. 

"So what's the plan?" The Widow asks them, including Stephen in her wait for an answer. It feels good, the start of acceptance. 

"I'll take one, you all take the other" Tony says. 

Clint raises a brow. "Are you going to activate Gatorade mode?" 

Tony sighs. "Clint you are a pain in my backside"

Stephen watches, confused, as Tony takes a step away from them and draws the same upside down triangle on his mask on the centre of his chest, where the stone is. The symbol then appears in a shining blue and his eyes light up so brightly the uncovered parts of his face can't be seen. 

The amount of power he radiates is so strong Stephen can feel it, see it as it creates its own current, making the long back of Tony's robes float. Even his cloak waves in the soft wind around him. 

"Good luck suckers" 

With that he shoots into the air in a flash of blue, so fast Stephen stumbles two steps back. He watches open mouthed as Tony flies around the robot, twisting around it's form in a sting of blue light until he's a faint glow near the top of its head. 

What they can see clearly from the ground though is a blade the size of a two story building, blazing blue. It slices across the sentinels neck and the humongous head starts barreling toward the ground like a meteor.

It's the hottest thing he's ever seen.

This time the god of thunder is the one to arrive and catch the head before it cracks the earth down to its core. 

In a zap of blue Tony's landed in front of them, one knee in the floor and a hand bracing. The pavements cracked underneath him.

"It won't move anymore, just stand there- Why are you guys still here?"

"You took it down in five seconds where were we supposed to go?" Widow rightly argues. 

"The next ones in a park, let's bounce"

They head to the park, it's beauty ruined by smoke and fires and craters in the ground. Steve Rogers, a man with metal wings and a guy in a red and black suit are there already. 

"Thank God you're here. You are so cool dude" the red and black guy says excitedly, extending a hand to Tony.

"Thank you. You're Pymms guy right?"

"Scott Lang. Or Ant Man" he yells over the earth shattering of the sentinels next step.

"I don't know how much use a small man is with these beasts, maybe you can get into the wiring?" 

He looks thoughtfully from the towering robot to the rest of them. "I have a trick that might help. It's a one shot wonder though so everyone needs to be ready to take this thing down for good" 

"We have your back Lang" the Captain says, this time suited up and meaning business. 

"Okay step away" they keep walking back until they're comically far away from him before he tells them they can stop. Then he presses something on his glove and watch him grow until he's almost as tall as the sentinel. Stephens jaws going to fall off by the end of the day.

"Some Ant man" he murmurs. 

"I call this one Giant man." He hears Scott say through the comms before he grabs the robot from behind and begins to wrestle with it. 

"This is all too weird"

"I know how that feels" Cap chuckles. It must have been crazy for him, being dead to the world for 70 years to come to this life. 

"Someone open up the abdominal plate" Scarlet Witch says. 

Clint draws an arrow and shoots it so it disappears though a gap right were she instructed. There's the muffled sound of an explosion and the robot only stutters but the plate does seem more open than it was before. 

Thor spins his hammer until it gives him enough traction to fly and drives the thing hard at the edge of the plate, so much so that half of it lifts up. 

Hulk jumps in to grab that edge and rip the plate off entirely. He never realised just how high he could jump. 

In a burst of red fabric and pink glow Scarlet Witch flies into the belly of the sentinel and in a flash of blinding pink the torso of it is ripped off of its legs. Tony and Thor fly up to help her lower torso carefully on to the ground and after that Detroit is quiet. 

The group of them spend three hours unearthing people stuck under rubble. And bodies. 

Tony heals many injured, some not completely, the damage crushing limbs beyond his ability. Stephen opens a portal to the nearest working Hospital and is in charge of sending the people Tony helps through.

The bodies cannot be revived. The dead are dead forever. 

It catches at every nook of his mind even when Jarvis says the perimeter is clear of civilians. 

As agreed, he finds Tony at a nearby chicken truck when he's wrapped things up, leaning on a tall metal table. 

"Feeling okay?" 

"Thinking," he replies, turning to look at him, "I've encountered Sentinels before, smaller ones, they're mutant hunters"

"So who were they looking for?" He leans on the opposite side of the table. 

"Daniel, the sanctum master before you, and I came here to do research years ago. Detroit has had a tremendous growth of a specific type of mutant. It causes people to become connected to the network"

He frowns. "What network?" 

"They're online, essentially evolving into AI. Some strains of the mutant gene only enhance the mind while others provide physical enhancement, metal like skin and new abilities when it comes to analysing and just living. I think the gene thrives off of contact with tech" 

"That sounds impossible" machines are man made, to say a human can evolve into a non naturally occurring thing, it's insane. 

"Detective Connor is one of them, that's why he knew how many people were in buildings and worked so efficiently. He can see heat signatures and has a processing speed we wish we had"

"So the sentinels were trying to kill them all off?" 

"Appears so, and maybe get them to leave Detroit, that way they're less likely to retaliate as a group. Power in numbers" 

Stephen watches the two officers round the corner and join them at the table. "It appears we'll have to leave Detroit, they got what they wanted" Connor says, definitely somehow enhanced to be able to hear from that far. 

"Yea God knows if we still have a home to go back to" The Lieutenant groans, dragging a hand down his face. He winces passing the gash on his cheek. 

"You will. What cut you?" Tony points at the man's face. 

"I was running, took a bend, scraped it right against a metal rod"

"The chances of infection are 51%" Connor says, inspecting it with concern.

If Stephen didn't believe Tony before he does now. He sounds just like Jarvis. 

Tony reaches for man's face slowly and he jerks back. 

"He's trying to help" Connor murmurs to him.

This time he doesn't move and when Tony touches his fingers to the cut the usual glowing happens and it closes up. 

"Chances of infection should be gone"

The Lieutenant feels his face, then scratches as if he will unearth his wound that way. "What the fuck just happened?" 

"I'm going to fix Detroit now. Can you guys make sure nobody touches me until I'm done?" Stepehen watches, perplexed, as Tony steps away from the table and sinks to one knee, pressing both palms to the floor.

The older man leanes over to whisper, "Did he just say he's going to fix Detroit? Is he delusional?"

"He did just fix your face Lieutenant" Connor points out in his strangely light voice. 

"But an entire city?" 

Stephen isn't quite sure how he's going to do it either, so he watches. From underneath Tony's hands run streams of blue, like little rivers. One travels in every direction around them and into the city, down streets and under cars. 

It goes on for 10 minutes. Tony clearly can't hear them, he seems like he's in another plane, eyes steadily glowing as blue continues to flow out under him. 

In the time he learns that Connors mutant gene is called RK800, and that his twin brother has a slightly more advanced version of it. Also the mutants have an organisation called Jericho, possibly the ones the sentinels are trying to destroy. 

"And you're wizards?" Hank puzzles. 

"Sorcerers. It's important that we aren't mentioned in your reports though, we don't work in the public like the Avengers" 

"You helped us a lot, we can do that" Hank smiles kindly. The way Connor looks at him for it makes Stephen smile too.

"What?"

"You two look like you're good partners" Connor colours slightly at his words, proving his observation correct. 

"You and Phantom of the Opera over there are cute too" Hank throws back, jutting his chin in Tony's direction. 

"We aren't like that, he's just showing me the ropes, I'm new"

"Connor and I will still take you on a double date if you're ever come back here. Just swing by the DPD…" he trails off, face sinking, probably realising the DPD might be flattened, that many of his colleagues might be injured or dead. 

The Avengers show up, all a mismatched group of humans and altered beings. Some really scuffed and sunken and others not wearing even one scratch. 

When Steve steps a bit too close to Tony Hank whips out his gun. "Hey asshole leave him some space"

Cap frowns but raises his hands in retaliation and steps closer to the truck. 

"Lieutenant that's Captain America" Connor murmurs, tugging at his sleeve. 

He holds the position for a minute, then slipping it away, "Yea well I don't like that guy, got a real something big up his ass" 

Stephen snorts so hard his throat hurts. 

Everybody goes quiet when Tony stands up. They watch him extend his arms and there's a burst of white light, so intense he has to shield his eyes. 

When it clears Tony's glowing a steady blue, it covers him head to toe, wrapping around all the edges of his clothes. Its ethereal, a floating blue flame. 

Buildings start coming back together. Broken pieces reattach themselves as if time is being reversed. 

In about 15 minutes Tony fixes Detroit. 

"What the ever living fuck?" Hank gasps, looking around at his city, good as new. 

The blue light shrinks away and Tony falls like deadweight to the floor. 

Stephens there first, bringing his limp form up to look at his face. "Hey" he tries not to sound as consumed with worry as he is. 

His eyes flicker open, brown not blue, they look tired. Stephen looks to the heavens above in thanks. 

"M' sleepy" he murmurs, head flopping on Stephens shoulder. 

"I'll get you home" he whispers, then, to the Avengers, "I've got him, you'll take care of the rest right?" 

"Yea Shield is almost here, they'll help us process the civilians we evacuated" Widow says, eyeing Tony's limp form. He sees real concern in her eyes. 

Hank steps in, "I'll get all the officers I can to lend you a hand" 

They all group together to make calls and form a working plan and Connor comes up to the two of them, crouching and resting a hand on Tony's shoulder. 

"I can't thank you enough for this feat. Will you be alright?"

Tony grunts something that sounds like yes. 

"I have given your AI my contact details. We owe you a debt so call us, for anything at all. Take care Mr Stark, Dr Strange." He nods to them both with a smile and walks off to join his partner. 

Stephens hands freeze mid portal casting when he realises what Connor said. 

"It's okay Steph, he won't tell anyone" Tony slurs. The nickname runs warmth from heart to cheeks. 

"If you say so" he curls his arms under Tony and carries him through the portal into the main room of his home. 

"Hey where's your room?" 

He receives no reply.

There's a staircase, in the left corner of the room through a door, he assumes it must be through there.

His thighs burn with the weight of Tony as he climbs them but luckily it's not many, he's soon on the second floor, a hall with three doors. The second one on the left is the bedroom and Stephens jealous he gets a double bed with silk red sheets and a black frame. It's likely Tony bought it himself though.

It's messy and awkward to get him under the sheet but if they can stop giant murder bots he can manage this. 

He considers walking away but Tony can't possibly be comfortable as he is, even though he's fast asleep. So he pulls off his boots and unhooks the face mask. 

It's fascinating how soft he is, looking at him, unguarded and asleep, it's like floating above the clouds, the feeling it gives him. 

His cheeks squished into the pillow, lips slightly open as he evenly breathes. So powerful yet a face of vulnerability. He's adorable, beautiful. 

Stephen walks out smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cute boys tryna have a cute moment but heroism interrupts


	5. Sunset Roses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Falling for Tony is a sunset, gradually sinking and only burning brighter as it goes.

It takes him about two weeks to admit to himself that he likes Tony. 

It's the little things, all put together, that brought him to the realisation one night as he laid wide awake in bed. It's his round whiskey eyes, the crow's feet when he smiles. His smile. When he grins Stephen lights up from the inside. When he laughs he melts through the floor. 

It's his hands, their elegance when he gestures and the form when he works. And his passion for his work. 

And he loves, he loves Jarvis and his people out in the real world, the Ancient One and even hard boiled Wong. 

He doesn't love Stephen, of course, they haven't known each other long enough, but he can tell he cares. When he looks even slightly lost by a lesson he takes his time explaining it, he lends him books, even offers them, shows him how to cast things better, more efficiently. 

Now they're sparring, because he says his magic is strong but hand to hand could use work. Tony noticed that because he pays attention. 

Stephens obsessed. 

He's caught by the way he holds up his arms and closes his fists, the effect that has on the muscles and veins in his exposed forearms. Caught on the sound of his voice; it's deeper when he's instructing.

His smirk when he taunts Stephen to make the first move. 

He can't resist really, Tony's wish is his command and it's concerning how wholeheartedly he embraces that. 

He goes to jab him in the stomach with his elbow and while the blow is successful he's caught in a headlock straight away. 

"Poor" Tony says next to his ear. He tries not to think of the scrape of his goatee against his cheekbone. 

"I'm sorry I'm not a black belt like you" he quips back. Tony always smells like the gentle scent of flowers and an edge of metal.

Vibrating goes off between them and Tony reaches his phone without letting him go. He display says Dr Handsome. 

"For fucks sake what does this asshole want" he groans, letting him go to answer regardless of the sour look on his face. 

Stephens affronted that he has a Dr Handsome in his contacts and it isn't him. 

"What is it Doom? Unless Tomoe has escaped or something I don't want to know" 

God knows what the guy says but Tony's brows go up in surprise and down in anger at the same time. "If this is important tell me now not over lunch, I do not want to see you unless I have to" 

Something else is said on the other line. "Yea okay I can look into it" and with that he hangs up. 

"Ex?" 

"God no. One of those assholes you have to know for the job" he says, putting his phone away. 

Stephen tilts his head in confusion. "If you don't like him why is his name Dr Handsome?"

"You see he used to wear this mask but one day I bumped into him and he's just a normal guy. And he's pretty hot" he shrugs.

Stephens heart sinks a little and there's no justifying it. 

"Is he the only handsome doctor you know?" He asks before he realises he's asking. 

The split second of silence after the question feels like a stab wound. Tony breaks it with a smile though.

"Go train with Mordo I need to look into something for Victor" 

He walks away and Stephen wishes he had done something; smirked, winked, said no, or even just had a slight twinkle of something in his eyes.

He's lost. 

Apparently he doesn't hide it when he comes up to Mordo.

"What's with you?" 

"Nothing. Who's Dr Victor Doom?" 

"That's who he was talking to? They have an odd relationship" they both watch Tony disappear from the square through the double doors.

"Definitely seems like it"

"Maybe he puts up with it because the sex is good" Mordo shrugs. 

"They're having sex?" If Stephens heart was on the floor before it's beneath it now. 

"I couldn't say for certain but why else does he pick up the phone every time?" 

They spar. Stephen does abysmally. He can't stop thinking about that Doom. It's not jealousy, it's defeat. After all Tony isn't his. 

Mordo kicks his feet from under him and hitting the floor brings him back to reality fast.

"Stephen," he kneels by him, "you're unfocused. What if a real threat is imminent?" 

He has nothing to say.

"Don't get hung up on Stark. He's Sorcerer Supreme now"

"And I'm a sanctum master" he points out. 

"He has three of those. What makes you special?"

Nothing. 

"There you go. Don't punch above your weight" Mordo helps him up and standing brings the clarity that Tony isn't spending time with him for any reason other than the duty he put upon himself to be his mentor. 

Mordos hand rests on his shoulder. "I mean that completely rank wise. In no other area" he winks before taking his leave.

Why a wink from him and not Tony? 

And did Mordo just flirt with him? 

_____

"Stephen are you okay?" Tony stops building a joint for his support structure to look at him over the dark rim of his glasses. It hurts how attractive he is. 

"Yea"

Tony's quiet for a moment, then he puts everything down, takes his glasses off and leans back in his chair. "Try again" 

He bites his lip, knowing he's stuck. Tony cares but that's not always a good thing. "Do you like me as a person or… or is this just professional to you?" 

"What kind of- of course I like you, otherwise I'd dump you on someone else. Where is this coming from?"

"You're my only friend here. I think. Well, my only real friend. I have Wong and Mordo but I don't spend as much time with them as I do with you" he sounds pathetic. Before the accident he wouldn't say something like that even held at gunpoint. 

"And you'd be crushed if I saw you as my disciple and not a friend?" He finishes, brow going up. It doesn't help that he feels like he's about to be lectured. 

"Crushed is a strong word" he murmurs. Crushed is exactly the right word. 

Tony sighs. "You're both. Can we get back to work?" He slips on his glasses and picks up his tools but thinks better of it, dropping them on the table. "No screw it. Come with me" 

He follows Tony out of the house. He picks a blue rose and tucks it into Stephens belt before continuing on.

They walk until they reach the edge of Kamar Taj, where its lined with a tall stone wall. Tony shoots up in a flash of blue from his feet and lands on the top gracefully, like a falling leaf. 

The image of him crouching down, smiling charmingly at him, feels like a fairy tale.

Blue glows beneath him and he'd like to say he doesn't scream when he shoots up into the air. And maybe if he hadn't struggled they wouldn't have crashed into each other and fallen backwards off the wall. 

Tony holds him close when they hit the floor and takes all the damage. 

He props himself up on his elbows to look him in the face. He's not out cold thankfully. "Jesus are you okay?" 

"The names Tony" he croaks. And spits blood onto the ground by his head. 

He sits back on his knees and wishes he had a phone to call someone. "Don't move I-"

"You're a doctor? I'm fine snowflake" Tony sits up. If the nickname wasn't enough to make him blush their closeness is. He can feel the soft fan of Tony breathing on his skin. 

He knows Tony will live, after getting a hole shot through his shoulder if he died from falling off a wall things would be weird.

Tony took that hole when he saved his life. 

"Tony I never thanked you for saving me from MODOK" he feels terrible. They just packed up and called it a day. If anything was different Tony might not be under him right now, breathing, smiling despite reddened lips and tousled hair. 

"Hey if we go in together we walk out together. That's the rule"

"I'll remember that" he climbs up and offers Tony a hand. He grasps his wrist and pulls himself up. It's the little things like that that have Stephen willingly caught in his web. 

He doesn't let go, instead squeezing tighter and looking him in the eye. "And you know what It means right? Don't do anything stupid to save me, I don't die anyway. Losing you isn't worth anything"

Stephen ponders that as they walk among bush and tree. Is he saying that because Stephens progressed so quickly in mystic arts or is it more personal? And is there really nothing that can kill him?

The questions seap away when they reach a clearing. There's a small waterfall, streaming between huge rocks into a pond. Next to the water is vibrant grass and an array of orange, yellow and red flowers.

"Wow"

Tony smiles, almost proud as he takes in the area too. A colourful glimmer of a fish shows through the clear water. "I know. This is my favourite place in, well, the world. I come here to think, or chat to Jarvis. I'm sure other people have been here but I've never brought anyone"

Stephen steps back, suddenly feeling unwelcome, like the flowers glare and the water spits. "You don't have to do this to appease me. This is private to you I don't need to feel special if it's not how you feel"

Tony shakes his head, taking him by the wrists and pulling him closer. "You are special Stephen. You're smart and talented and you keep up with me like no one has. If I didn't think we were in the position for me to show you this I would have taken you to a rooftop and told you you're brighter than a star or some bullshit like that" 

It makes him smile. He sounds genuine. "That is bullshit. Completely scientifically incorrect. Maybe you could though, with that thing" presses his index to the stone. Tony's wearing a t shirt so it's lazy glow shows through the fabric.

"See! Now sit" he yanks him down and they're both sitting cross legged on the grass facing the water.

"I haven't asked you how being Sorcerer Supreme is going" he says, watching his shaking fingers pass over the healthy grass. 

He sighs from his core. "I've always had my hand in many pies but now I have it in triple the amount. I've given over managing training to Mordo and Hamir and I have you three masters but there are a lot of dimensions to keep track of. I don't know how the Ancient One did it" he flops back onto the grass, lacing his fingers behind his head. 

He swivels to face him. "She was new at it once" 

"Yea you have a point. When I'm not with you I'm working on your thing or at the London Sanctum helping to get it back on his feet or projecting to another dimension. I feel like this is the first time I've taken a breather in the last three weeks"

Stephen loosely clasps his hands and watches them buzz in unison. "You can take a break from my brace"

Tony frowns at him. "Really? That's why you're here though"

"I know there's the contract but at this point even if you broke it I would stay. This life is much better than my last" The big problem with his hands is the pain, when it's humid and he has to use them too much. The brace can't take that away, just shaking. Running Tony into the ground isn't worth being able to hold a full glass again.

"Hm. Do you miss your work? The challenge?" Tony’s head drops on his thick bicep so their eyes meet. 

The sun is starting to set and he looks like a dream under its orange glow. It catches in his hair and makes his eyes really look like whiskey. He’s pretty drunk just looking at them. 

"Trust me it's more challenging wrapping my head around sorcery and huge robots and floating heads" he resists the urge to yank out grass in an effort to distract himself from the painting in front of him. 

He huffs. "By the end of my first year my mind was so blown I had to sleep for a week" 

"Do you miss your work?"

"What being an asshole rich guy developing weapons of mass murder? Not even a bit. I have my workshop here it's all I need" 

He's so good. He's so good and passionate it's a wonder he's even a real person. Maybe Stephen did die in the accident and all of this is heaven. The only thing that tells him it's not is that he'd never be let in. 

"Aren't you still rich?" 

"Yea I own patents and a global giant of a business. When my accounts got shut down Pepper opened another under her name and passes it through" 

"What do you do with all that?"

"A lot of it goes into funding this; ya know wages and maintenance and equipment. So if I ever piss you off remember where your paycheck comes from" he grins, in the shit eating fashion. 

"So I can't ask; aren't you still an asshole?" 

The grumpy look Tony switches to makes him laugh. "Kiss my ass Strange" 

"That would suggest I can kiss you anywhere" he quips back, pointedly not looking at Tony's lips and the way they stretch and bend when he holds back a laugh. 

"I will throw you in there" 

They just smile at each other for a drawn out couple of seconds and it's really a movie. Birds are heard in the distance, wind gently plays with the grass, and Tony's hair. He's glowing like the sun shines only for him. 

"Do you want to go shopping tomorrow?"

"What?" He blinks away the glaze. 

"I'm caught up in the day but we can go at night"

"Don't shops close at night?" 

Tony's brow goes up. "Aren't we sorcerers?" 

"You want to break the law?" 

"Course. We'll leave money for whatever we take. Plus, I can't walk into a store" he doesn't look sad when he says it but Stephen still feels for him. Something as basic as going to buy milk at the local supermarket isn't a straightforward task for him. 

"What do you want to buy?" 

"You wear the same robes all the time I want to get you some regular clothes"

"No you're not buying me anything" 

"Didn't you hear me? I pay you. Anything you buy with your money is me buying you something. Technically" he smiles as if the blinding beauty of it will change his mind. 

"No it's not. You worked in business I'm not having that argument" 

"Please Stephen, two outfits, that's all I ask" 

It's the pout that gets him. And those stupid pretty eyes. "Okay but not from somewhere expensive" 

"Right my expertise aren't in that area"

"Yea same"

"Target sells clothes right?"

They lay on the grass side by side for maybe an hour, maybe two, It's hard to tell. They go back and forth naming the types of flowers they know, Tony wins. He suggests they name the bones in the body, as a mercy to Stephen. Even though he does win he's impressed by just how long Tony went on for.

When they're trekking back to Kamar Taj he looks down and finds the rose in his belt is completely crushed. It's kind of devastating, he wanted to keep it. He has nothing vibrant to decorate his sad little bedroom. 

"Not to worry" Tony says next to him, stopping and pulling the rose out of his belt. 

He brings the flower to his lips and it turns from a flat broken thing to a fresh rose, bold and beautiful. He bends at the waist in a bow and holds it out to him. 

He swallows the desire to fall to his knees and cry. It goes straight to his heart and it hurts. 

When he takes the rose back his fingers brush Tony's hand and it's something electric. 

"Thank you" he chokes out, clearing his throat afterward. 

When Tony straightens he's looking into his eyes. Stephens very aware that they're standing very close and neither of them is speaking. 

Off its own accord Stephens hand travels the short space between them and rests on Tony's cheek. He doesn't know what to expect, probably for him to step away and play it off like the considerate guy he is. 

Instead he closes his eyes and leans into it, smiling softly. He's warm. And it's so calm, so natural, like they're still at the waterfall watching fish dance in water. 

This time Tony's long lashes fan over his skin and his hand curls around Stephens wrist. With his thumb he rubs the inside of it and he wants to kiss him so badly. 

It wouldn't take a lot, just to bow his head a little.

Tony's eyes flutter open like he's waking up and he gently leads Stephens hand down, eventually letting go. It feels heavy at his side.

He turns away and opens two portals, to each of their residences. "I'll come find you tomorrow yea?" He nods, as a goodbye, and steps through. It closes and he's gone. 

He just showed his hand and lost all his chips. There's no success left for him. 

Yet he still displays the rose, in a glass of water at his bedside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this one, just some nice cute fluff


	6. Mordo Vol. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foolish is the heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Act II of Oath girliess

Men are foolish creatures, he certainly knows that. But he is one, so in the face of heart sinking rejection he turns to aggression. 

They've been sparring for three hours straight. Mordo doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he seems very happy about it, him gaining focus and motivation. If only he knew where it came from, if only he could see his heart as it weeps for Tony. 

"Should we introduce the weapons?" He holds up two batons and when Stephen nods tosses one to him. 

He doesn't fight much with his hands but they ache. Foolishly he encourages the pain. It takes away from the defeat. 

"You don't want to take a break? You're sweating" Mordo says, smiling like he already knows the answer. 

He is sweating, dripping with it. He's also bleeding. There's a small cut over his brow, blood sticking the hairs together, from when Mordo floored him. 

He strikes first, swinging for Mordo to block. They go back and forth for a fast paced age. Until pain shoots in his shoulder and he staggers back, holding it tight. 

"It's not busted" he insists when Mordo comes close to look at it. 

"You don't have an optimal balance in some of your attacks. See when you're crossing the baton from high right to low left you have to step with it" he takes his wrist and positions his arm up there, then encourages him to move his left leg forward with his knee. "It's the opposite leg not the same one" he murmurs, taking his waist and angling it with the step. 

He's confused by Mordo lately. He's being much more physical in his teaching than he used to be. And his hands are still on his waist. 

"Hey" the two of them turn to see Tony walking up to them, deep frown on his face. "Weren't you guys training like four hours ago?" 

"Three" Mordo corrects, shifting his hand from his hip to the small of his back and smiling at Tony as if they both can't see it. It's weird. 

Tony doesn't let it slide, quite obviously looking from the movement to Mordos face. It doesn't deter the guy. "And did you take a break?" 

"Why the questions?" He asks, not seeming at all bothered by challenging his superior. The answers obvious of course, Tony cares. 

"Whatever. I'm going to Queens. Eat" Tony turns and he watches him pull his hood up and step through a portal. 

"Isn't this what you would call waking on the wrong side of the bed?"

"I don't know Mordo. He's right though we should eat"

"Let's do that. New York pizza?" 

They get pizza and eat it in the sanctum. Then Mordo introduces him to the alcohol cabinet in the dining room and the rest gradually starts to blur. 

"Have you ever been rejected?" He asks his friend, lowering the rum bottle from his lips.

"No. I don't pursue romance"

"It's the fucking worst. Makes you burn like this does" He holds up the bottle to demonstrate it and drinks some more. 

"I told you not to punch above your weight" 

"I had to he's… he's- shit what time is it? We were supposed to go shopping" he looks around for a clock but gets horribly dizzy instead. 

"Why would you do that? Won't it hurt?" 

"Yes it will. Apparently I like pain" he shrugs. His fingers around the neck of the bottle feel wet. 

The doors open and in walks the man himself, the great Tony Stark, stunning with his glasses on and a jumper red like his robes. 

"Hey Tony!" He calls, unable not to be excited by his presence. The sound of rum spilling and smacking the table is loud.

"What… what are you doing?" He looks from Mordo to him with unguarded shock. 

"If I look close enough I can see my sorrows in this bottle" He says, leaning over to look through the mouth of the bottle. Somehow he almost falls off his chair in the process. The sanctum must be on water, rocking like a sailors boat. 

His jaw tightens. "You two have a duty you can't just get plastered!"

"You're not the boss of me" he puts the bottle down and points at him, then himself. 

He crosses his arms. He always looks hot and authoritative when he does it. "Actually I am. Stephen we have plans. You thought getting drunk was more fun did you?" 

"Why don't you just go with Dr Handsome?" He seems to like him more. He's not the favourite doctor. 

"Because he's a dick. Apparently you are too" 

He thinks he calls Tony's name when he leaves. It's hard to tell. He knows he stands up though, because his knees hurt when he falls over. 

"Take It easy. Do you feel okay?" Mordos voice says above him. Hands take him by the elbows and help him back into his chair. 

"I feel shit" he groans. Not only is his head spinning but Tony's gone. And he's upset. 

"Well that's a shame. You'll feel worse after I take this" He watches Mordos hand press to his stomach and something feels different inside him, like he's choking but not in his throat. 

Something white floats out of him and rests in Mordos hand. He steps away with it and looks down at him with disdain he's never seen before.

"Hey I don't know what that is but it's mine. I want it back" he reaches for him but he's too far. And when he closes his hand into a fist the floaty white thing is gone. 

"Look at you. Pathetic, distracted, reckless. You don't deserve your position" 

Mordos back looks blurry as he walks out of the door, leaving him. 

Soon he can't see anything at all. 

_

"Strange. Strange" 

He blinks his eyes open and the image of Wong forms before him. He looks more upset than usual. 

"What?" He groans, closing his eyes again. It's too bright. 

When Wong slaps him across the face he's very suddenly awake, sitting up and looking around. His brain feels like it's been diced on a chopping board. 

"You're a mess" He grunts, wrapping an arm around him and hauling him up. Stephen suddenly wants to throw up all over the wooden floor.

"What's going on?"

"Tony needs to see you. It's urgent" 

Just like that they're in Tony's house and he's pacing in front of his desk, chewing his thumbnail diligently. 

"Did he take it?" He asks, not even looking at them. 

"Take what?"

He stops to slap him a lot harder than Wong did. "Did he take it?"

"What do you remember?" Wong asks, somehow the thoughtful one in the room.

Stephen works his jaw but it doesn't make the sting go away. "Pizza, um, rum, you were there and you were upset. And then Mordo pulled this white thing ou-"

Tony throws his hands up before bunching them in his already tousled hair. "He fucking took it"

He looks from Wong to Tony, even if it makes his head split. "What did he take?"

"I want you to pay attention when I tell you this," Tony presses his thumbs to his temple and the headache clears like clouds from the sky. He feels very sober and alert, standing straight and letting Wong step away. What's going on is serious and he can finally focus on it. 

"You are a piece of shit" Tony whispers, taking his time with every word and holding his gaze. There is no joke there, no smile, just a hard jaw and flaming eyes. 

Nothing has ever hurt him more than hearing that. 

"Mordo took our power" he says, continuing to pace like he didn't just break something inside him.

The confusion helps him move past it. "What? You just used it"

He shakes his head. "No that's the stone. I can still heal myself and others but he took the essence in our souls that allows us to draw interdimensional power" 

"How? Why?" Mordo was a friendly. Without him he wouldn't have got to be here at all. 

"I convinced him to stay with us after Dormamu, he wanted to leave, didn't believe in us anymore." Wong says, clearly not feeling good about it. 

"So he's putting us out of commission. Why only us?" He asks.

"I have reason to think no one is safe. We're just his biggest threats so he had to get us out of the way first" he turns his back to them, holding the edge of his desk so hard his knuckles turn white. 

"When did he take yours?" 

"About an hour ago. I was stomping around in the woods because someone pissed me off" he shoots a poisonous look over his shoulder. 

"Tony I'm sorry" He truly is. It wasn't worth it. 

He pushes off the desk and crowds his space. It's almost scary how angry he is. "Are you? I bet you don't even remember what you did" it’s worse that his voice is level.

"We agreed to go out. I let you down" 

"That's not the worst thing, the worst thing is that you, a sanctum master, thought it was a good idea to get wasted. And over what?" He throws his arms out. 

"You know what" He doesn't want to say it. Not when he knows Tony knows. 

It's clear when his posture relaxes. He steps back and the look he gives Stephen is sad more than pissed. His hands are still fists at his sides though. 

"I do. And you cozied up with Mordo anyway" There’s hurt in the words. Or maybe he’s hearing things. 

"You shouldn't care about that. You don't feel the same" that hurts to say out loud. Maybe more than admitting his own feelings. He almost winces. 

Tony's body language switches so drastically back to angry Stephen steps back, bracing for the yelling that follows. "Of course I fucking feel the same! Mordo knew that and it's the reason his plan worked you idiot!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really short sorry! Couldn't resist the cliff hanger


	7. Mordo Vol 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two sorcerers, no powers. It's a good thing Tony's skill set is vast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My defining character trait rn is K -12.

"What? But you…" he's shot down all his advances, all the flirting. He knew Stephen wanted to kiss him and chose to turn away. 

He looks at Stephen like he’s stupid. "What did you think I was gonna do? I'm Sorcerer Supreme I can't afford to even give myself the option" 

"I'm sorry to interrupt but we need to find Mordo before he gets more of us" Wong says. 

"You're right." He takes Jarvis out of his back pocket and frees him from the glass with a shake. He floats between them in wait for instructions. "Jarvis scan all surveillance cameras for sightings of Karl Mordo" 

"He was last spotted by a gas station camera in Chicago" Jarvis says after a very short amount of time considering he's scanning every camera that exists. 

"Thanks. Okay Wong you're in charge of everything until we catch him" 

"Won't you need help?" 

"I'm owed a lot of favours we'll be fine" 

"But who's going to portal us around?" Stephen asks. 

Tony thinks for a moment. "I have a jet. Its at Stark Tower" 

Wong opens a portal for the cloak to join them. It happily sits on his shoulders, oblivious of how massively he's fucked up. 

"Wait. If you two keep your sling rings you can call me on the phone and I can open portals for you using their location" Wong says.

"That's a much better idea. Can you drop us behind the gas station?" he makes a gesture and Jarvis projects an image and coordinates for it. 

"You two come back in one piece"

"Always. Two in two out" 

With that they're in Chicago, hiding behind the little shop. 

"Jarvis alert the Avengers, Shield, all police departments, the X Men, FBI, the Defenders, SI surveillance, Rhodey, the Fantastic 4 and Interpol that Mordo is wanted and The Mechanic should be contacted at any sighting" 

"Yes sir" 

"Jesus" he's never heard a namedrop like it. 

"I am owed a lot of favours" he says, pulling up his hood and putting on his mask. "Lets go"

They creep around the corner of the building and spy Mordo, in regular clothes, talking to a guy. The dark haired man gives Mordo a card and they part ways. 

When Mordos clear Tony jogs up to the man, who's just opening the door to his black Audi. Stephen follows. He's overly aware at how obvious it is they're supers by their outfits.

"Hey buddy"

"Wow. You here to rob me?" He looks between the two of them, confused.

"What did you give that guy you were just talking to?" 

"Why do you ask?"

Tony's eyes flare, shining blue. "What did you give him?" 

That seems to break the guy, harmless as it is, "I work for a tech company. He wanted to talk to one of the people that develops masking tech. I gave him their card. That's all I know" 

"Great. Thank you. Now we'll borrow your car" He pushes past the guy and slides into the driver's seat. 

"Hey!" 

"Sorry" Stephen calls, hurrying into the passenger seat. 

When Tony zooms out of the station he feels like he's going to be sick. He hadn't considered he would have developed a fear of cars. 

Tony slows on the road. "Are you okay?" 

He feels like if he opens his mouth anxiety and his last meal will fall out so he shakes his head. 

"You can wait. I'll find you"

He snorts at the idea. "There's no way I'm letting you go alone. Step on it" he can swallow down fear for the greater cause. He'd feel a lot worse than sick if anything happened to Tony. 

And Tony doesn't hesitate, he does step on it, weaving in and out of traffic like a professional. "Jarvis last sighting" 

"Not there yet. Drawing a route to overtake without detection." 

"Won't he just portal?" 

"Not in front of everyone. They might alert authorities" 

The screen on the dash flickers on with an arrow indicating a turning they're in the process of passing. That apparently doesn't stop Tony, he works through the gearshift and spins the wheel as far as it can go with his other hand. The tires screech, he’s sure the car is on two wheels at one point, and people smack their horns but he picks up speed down the side road, unbothered.

"Are you a formula 1 driver or something?" He breathes, scrambling for his belt before he flies through the front glass. 

"No but when I lived in Malibu I loved to rip up the tarmac in my spare time" 

"Ripping is the right word" he watches Tony's hands when they slow down again. He's got one elbow propped on the door and the other holds the bottom of the wheel with the slightest touch of two fingers. He's very comfortable in a car. It makes him feel better. 

"Sir Mordo has shown up on a camera and it appears he is being tailed by Agent Eton of Shield. He has veered off course."

"What's the move now?"

"He's going to lose the agent and come back here," Tony starts, pulling up to the white building. He parks around the corner of the building, facing the main road but tucked into the shade. "He's probably realising now how badly he's going to need a different face" 

"So we wait. Stakeout style" 

"Yep. Jarvis keep us updated" he cuts the engine and reaches down the side of his seat to tilt the back down a little.

"We don't even need sorcery we have Jarvis"

"I know he's a dream" he sighs, unhooking his mask and letting it dangle off one ear. 

"Thank you" Jarvis says. 

They wait in silence, watching people cross the street and cars speed past.

"So" He says, wanting to address the elephant in the car now that they're not yelling or stressed or chasing down a lying thief. 

He raises a brow. "So?"

Stephen breathes and goes for it. "You like me" 

He groans, looking straight ahead. "I said that didn’t I? Can we not talk about it"

He unbuckles his belt and sits on his ankle to face Tony completely. "Tony the whole reason we're in this mess is miscommunication. Let's be open" 

"Okay Doc. I like you and you like me. Let's not do anything about it. Thank you and goodbye" He yanks his hood down to cover his eyes and crosses his arms. 

It indicates the end of the conversation but Stephen can't let something so nonsensical go. "Why not?" 

"I told you I'm Sorcerer Supreme. Those don't do romance. Plus didn't you ever hear don't sleep with your boss?" 

"Didn't you say you dated Pepper Potts? And wasn't she your secretary?" He had mentioned once, when they were in the workshop. He said he came to Kamar Taj but returned as soon as he could make portals, to tell her how he felt about her. They dated for two years but his dangerous life was too much of a strain so they parted on friendly terms. All in all a successful relationship with a subordinate. Even though he wasn't her boss any more. There's no need for that detail to be brought up though.

Tony sits up, taking his hood down to stare at nothing, wide eyed. "Shit you're right" 

He's leaning over and pressing his lips to Stephens before he even knows what's happening. 

He feels a hand curl around the back of his neck, those worn fingers from hours in the workshop. But he can't feel anything below, gone completely liquid at the soft press of Tony's lips. 

Then he watches Tony climb over the gear stick and into his lap. He doesn't know what to do, what to focus on, what to touch. 

Tony looks him from hair to chin, smiling. "You're…" 

The rest of his words are lost in another kiss, this time easing his mouth open. When Tony's tongue sweeps in his mouth he has to grab on to something, has to dig his fingers into Tony's hips to not drown.

He kisses back and the air in the car is hot, it burns his skin. He wishes robes weren't so complicated, so he could dip his fingers below the hem of Tony's top and burn even more. 

It's slow, they're learning each other. Stephen learns what he expects, that Tony is perfect. 

When they seperate for breath his forehead rests against his. "I promised myself, and the Ancient One, that I'd be a good teacher to you. Do you think I could still do that?" He whispers, fragile as glass.

He assumes that was the main reason for him, letting down those who expected him to be a good mentor. 

He reaches up and touches his fingers to Tony's lips, because he can. "Tony I treasure every little thing you show me and that's not gonna change"

He takes his hand and kisses each finger, not taking eyes off Stephen for a second. "You're stunning" he breathes. 

He wants to burst out in tears but pulls Tony into another kiss instead. "You're beautiful. I want to tell you every time I look at you" he murmurs against his lips. He tastes like coffee. Something more about Tony he has the pleasure to know. 

"Stop" Tony smiles, bites his lip in the process. Stephen watches closely as it slides back out from under his teeth and wants to bite it too. 

"You stop or I might get too distracted" 

Tony's eyes hood as he looks down at him and he knows it's over for any concentration he had on the task at hand. "Yea? How?" 

He's suddenly desperate to be wearing anything but robes, with Tony's fingers hooked in the neck of it, teasing something more. He leans close and he feels the breath on his ear before the drag of teeth and the faintest pass of hot tongue. 

He's pretty sure he growls and definitely sure he wants to rip Tony's robes off with his teeth. 

"Sir Agent Eaton reported Mordo disappeared through an orange ring"

"Fuck. Okay Jarvis let us know as soon as he shows up on another camera. And call Wong I need to get home."

He accepts that his parties been trampled all over. "For what?" 

He sits back on Stephens knees. "We're too obvious dressed like this. I'm going to change. You're going to find a store and buy yourself clothes. Plain, with a hat or something, so you're not immediately recognisable. Take my phone, Jarvis give him access into it and to my contactless payment. If you need me call the number saved as Jarvis" 

Stephen takes the thin phone and slips it in his breast pocket. "Where do I meet you?"

He twists where he's sitting to see out the glass. Stephen aches to see how his muscles stretch underneath. "See that bus stop across the road?" 

He spots it and nods. "Okay one more thing. I can't walk into a store looking like this"

"I'll take cloaky. If anyone asks you just came from church" 

He rolls his eyes, sitting up so Tony can take the cloak from his shoulders and rest it on his own. 

"See ya" he presses a kiss to his lips and gracefully slides out of the car, disappearing down the road. 

Stephen hits the back of his head on the seat and tries to breathe out all the tension in his gut. "Shit" 

What just happened and why is he so lucky?

A few heads turn but no one says anything as he browses the nearest clothes store he can find. The outfits plain, as instructed, a grey t shirt, black cardigan and black jeans with a black hat to really tie together the blending in aspect of it all. 

He walks out of the shop in his new clothes, robes and boots in the stores bag and shoulders weighed by the guilt of spending Tony's money to complete a mission that's his fault. 

He has to wait for about ten minutes before a guy in a black hoodie and orange tinted glasses sits next to him. He'd recognise those hands anywhere. 

"Hey handsome, what’s your name?" Tony says.

Stephen peers at his burgundy backpack. "Late to school?" 

"Shut up. Lets go" 

"We need his sling ring. It gives him too much of an advantage" Tony says, crossing the road seemingly to go back to the Audi. 

"Do you know where he is?" 

"Ann Arbor. Looks like he needed somewhere to nap" He dips into the driver's seat and Stephen mirrors on the other side. 

"Isn't that near Detroit?"

"Yea. Detroit is the capital of revolutionary tech thanks to the mutant gene and it's easier to move underground" He explains, starting the engine and joining the light traffic. 

"I didn't think we'd be back there so soon"

"I already called Connor and told him to be on high surveillance." He says, focused on the road, flicking the left indicator and turning. 

"And where are we going?" 

"The airport. I asked Pep to send me a Quinjet." 

"A what?" 

"High speed, high performance jets I designed for the Avengers."

It feels as if he leans something new about Tony every three minutes. "Damn okay. What happened to Wong?" 

"He's exhausted, I put him to bed"

It's not a long drive to the airport and the Quinjet is nice, white and red with the A of Avengers on the side but rather obvious. 

Tony slides into the pilot seat and spins to face Stephen. He unzips his bag and produces the cloak from it. It floats around the jet curiously. 

"What is the plan, once we find him"

"He's on his own. I'll distract him and put him in a situation where he as to use the ring. Then you'll steal it"

"What are you gonna do?" 

"Just remind him sorcery isn't the only thing we have going" out of the bag comes a handgun, Tony spins it with his finger on the trigger section and winks like he's not playing with something that could end a life. 

"Be careful with that"

"Chill I know weapons as well as you know brains. Spent 20 years designing them" he tosses it on the dash of the jet like it's just a paper weight and pushes some buttons on the panelling around him. 

Stephens quick to sit down and buckle in as someone in an orange jumpsuit on the tarmac gives him the go. The bird starts slow but picks up speed really fast. Tony wasn't kidding about high performance. 

As the jet takes off Stephen feels a wave of exhaustion hit him. It's all been too much in one day; hungover, then slapped twice, and again figuratively when Tony admitted his feelings, and the car, and what happened when the car was parked, and now they're in the sky on their way to face Mordo head on. 

He falls asleep in the end. And wakes when somethings suffocating him.

He rips the cloak off his face and heaves a breath. "What did I ever do to you?" 

The cloak shrugs, twirling to sit on Tony's shoulders. 

The jet is on the ground and he can see another tarmac through the glass, with army and unmarked jets parked in a row nearby. 

"Get up let's go" he tosses his hat in his lap and triggers the hatch to open up. It's raining outside. 

"You know you're mean considering you have a crush on me" he groans, stretching and fixing the hat on his head. 

"You're still a piece of shit, you just happen to look like a goddamn Michelangelo statue." Tony looks him up and down appreciatively and he's suddenly warm all over. The guilt however is constant. 

Tony puts the cloak back in his backpack and tucks the gun from earlier in the back of his trousers. Stephen can't see it but it's presence rings strong. 

They meet up with a guy who takes them through the back ways of the airport and out the front without one passport check or metal detector. 

There's a DPD car parked at the entrance and Hank is at the driver's seat, elbow hanging out of the window, the tan leather of his jacket wet from rain.

Tony puts on his mask and leads the way, "What's up Lieutenant?"

The man smiles, then frowns when he meets Tony's gaze. "Weren't your eyes blue?" 

"They change with the weather" he quips, jumping in the backseat and leaving the door open for Stephen to follow. 

Connors in the passenger seat, the three of them exchange silent greetings. 

"I wish we were driving to our double date, instead were chasing a guy who stole what?" Hank asks, joining the stream of cars leaving the airport. 

"Double date?" Tony asks, sounding very confused. 

"Our powers" Stephen supplies, realising it sounds crazy. 

Hank shakes his head. "I'm in a fuckin' kids cartoon" 

"So, what is the plan?" Connor asks, turning to watch them both attentively, almost eager. 

"According to Jarvis breakfast hours where he's staying are 7-10am. You guys go in and order something, sit somewhere you'll be seen, make sure it's obvious you're police. He'll be forced to leave to eat elsewhere and we've got the rest"

"Will you need weapons?" The detective asks. 

Tony shakes his head. "We're covered"

"Alright. Connor and I will hang out by the car after he leaves incase you need us"

They're all quiet for a bit, surrounded by rain and the sweep of window wipers as they arch back and forth. 

Then Tony speaks up. "Hey how are things here, after the Sentinel mess?"

"Good. I feel a real sense of unity here after the attack. Crimes gone down a lot too, we got caseload lighter than a feather" Hank chuckles.

"That's good to know"

"I told my friend Markus about what you did and his father made this beautiful painting of you based on captures from my memories. It's still in his studio you should see it sometime" Connor says, smiling from ear to ear.

Tony flops back against his seat. "Wow that's really nice" he sounds struck. 

"What are you talking about? You said you'd fix Detroit and you god damn fixed it. We owe you a lot more than a painting" Hank says, and rightly so. Tony's some kind of miracle.

"I've made valuable allies in you, that's a good enough reward for me."

"Yea yea we got ya back" Hank parks right in front of the little hotel, sure the DPD on the car is clear as day to anyone who looks through the glass. 

While they go inside Stephen and Tony run around the corner, taking cover next to what looks like a staff entrance. 

"This could go badly" he says as they wait, crouched behind the back of a car. 

"I won't let anything happen to you" Tony's eyes look determined, like he'll move heaven and earth to make sure that's true. 

That's not what he meant though, he's worried for them both.

"Has anyone ever told you you're too much of a hero?" 

Stephen knows just by the crinkle of his eyes that he's smiling. "Yea this really hot doctor I know" 

It may be raining but inside he feels like it's the height of spring, flowers of all colours spring and birds colour the blue sky. 

He faces no resistance when he unhooks Tony's mask and brings them together with a hand on his chin. It's an indulgent kiss, slow and warm. Every drag of tongue is lazy but means it all, makes him burst inside just the same.

It doesn't lead to anything, because they're squatting in the rain and have important work to do, and that's okay. He's just happy to have Tony there and letting him in. 

It's not long before Jarvis receives Connors signal. They separate, Stephen staying low as he crosses the road to take cover behind a red car. He didn't see Tony let the cloak out but it sits on his shoulders, ready for action. 

Nothing but rain. 

Then the staff door bursts open and out comes Mordo, hood up and hands stuffed in his pockets. The second he stops to decide which way to go is the one Tony uses to jump out of hiding and point the gun right at his face.

"Boo"

Shock is only momentary, clearing for a smug smile. "Returned to the old ways have we Stark?" 

Tony tilts his head and the gun in sync. "Turned to the dark side have we Mordo?" 

"What is dark? You think you do so much good but you're a cheat" he casually clasps his hands behind his back. In any other situation Tony would do something about it, but they both know it only means the plan is going smoothly. 

"Does that matter if I do good in the end?" It's hard to hear through the rain but enough straining has him following the conversation. 

"How can you be trusted? The Ancient One thrived from the Dark Dimension and you could be doing the same"

"Have you seen me? I look old as fuck" 

Tony doesn't look that old at all, maybe in his early 40's at most. Stephens never really thought about it. 

"Yet you are immortal. What gives you infinite chances when we only get one?"

"Just give back what you took and leave the order alone. Then you won't have to run"

The gold of the ring glints in the peaking light of the sun between clouds, having materialised on his hand. It's a trick Tony taught him, a quick pocket dimension. Which means the ring can disappear as quickly as it appears. 

"As if you could ever catch me"

Stephen springs to action, the cloak launching him across the street so he can land a kick square on Mordos back. The second he hits the floor Stephen grabs the ring and slips it off, easy with the slick of rain. 

He darts away from him straight after, standing behind Tony, long metal digging into his palm at how tightly he's holding it. 

They watch Mordo scramble to his feet and look from them to his hands, bare. There's a second if silence when he looks up, then sprints away.

"Connor can track Jarvis' signal!" Tony yells, then books it down the street after him. 

Stephen runs the opposite way, skidding around the corner where the officers are hanging out under the overhang of the diner, Hank holding a coffee cup. 

"Connor drive!" He yells, almost colliding with the car door before opening it and sitting messily in the back. 

Connor and Hank follow quickly and the former starts the engine and the sirens simultaneously. An image appears on the GPS, a blue flashing dot. He didn't even have to tell him to follow Jarvis, he's already two steps ahead. 

He's being tossed around in the back with how briskly Connors turning corners and speeding between cars. He drives just as well and insanely as Tony but while his handling comes from a place of experience Connors comes from precision. He turns at the perfect time, minimising how much it'll slow their momentum and grips the wheel with even space between hands. 

In all the commotion he's able to drop Mordos sling ring in Hanks jacket pocket unnoticed. It's deep enough to not fall out and Mordo will never think to look there.

Connor notices though, they briefly meet eyes in the mirror before he looks back at the road. 

The next turn he makes puts them side by side with the chase. Tony's only a few feet away from the car storming down the street with Mordos figure ahead of him. The good news is that he can't outrun Tony but the bad news is he can use sorcery. 

And he does; casting mandalas beneath his feet to aid him in scaling an apartment building. 

It doesn't stop Tony, who climbs with just his four limbs, using balconies and window sills to leap up and up. Mordos gaining too much distance on him though.

"I'm getting out. Stay on him" he opens the door before Connor can even slow down and flies out, reaching Tony and holding him by the waist. The cloak zooms up and they reach the roof when Mordos half way across it. 

Tony rips out of his hold and jumps onto the concrete, rolling when he hits it and getting up right away to run like nothing. It's inhuman. 

He flies above, hoping they can cut Mordos exists that way. 

Floating at the edge of the building, he stares Mordo in the face as he approaches. He reaches the edge and stops, looking behind him at Tony closing in.

An orange string extends from him and before he even knows it's going to happen he has it around his neck. Mordo pulls and he's forced to the edge, nose to nose with him.

He can't breathe at all. 

There's a sudden push and they're all falling. 

Mordo loses hold on the lasso and Stephen coughs and swallows as much air as he has rushing into him as the street gets closer and closer. 

He slows though, the cloak easing him down.

Suddenly, all he can hear is glass exploding and when he looks down there's a body on the roof of the DPD car, enveloped in the caved in metal. 

Orange aviators on the sidewalk with fragmented lenses. 

He lands behind Connor and Hank and pushes past them. He can't hear the rain at all anymore but feels like he's drowning. 

"Tony" he's not sure if he's whispering or yelling, but it sounds far, like someone else is saying it two streets down. 

There's a hand hanging off the roof, two fingers twitch, one after the other. 

He catches it immediately, crushing Tony's hand like it'll make him okay. He has to be okay. 

It's only five seconds but it feels like hours when his other arm moves, propping him up, then he crawls off of the car completely, landing messily in front of him.

"Thanks Con" He groans, stretching his spine like he's just woken up from a nap. 

The white in his left eye is bright red and he's got two long cuts on his face, several more on his side's and arms, leaving his clothes torn open. 

They clear one by one, leaving blood but not exit wounds. The rain washes his face but his clothes are crimson and in ribbons from the sharp dents in the car. 

Stephen doesn't even feel the decision process happen when he slaps Tony in the face. "What the fuck was that!?" 

He doesn't seem upset at the attack. "Planned. As soon as he had you I told Connor to put the car here. I knew you had the cloak, I meant it when I said nothing would happen to you" 

"Do you want to give me a heart attack? Despite what Mordo says I doubt you're actually immortal" he's still yelling, it stands out when everyone seems calm. He however is a raindrop away from setting the world on fire. 

Tony doesn't have anything to say back. Stephen grabs him and yanks his mask off, pulling him into a bruising kiss. 

He can feel the rigidness in Tony's body, surprise, but keeps his eyes closed and hangs on to him like he might fall again. 

All the fire was built from fear for Tony's life and it melts into relief, that despite his utter recklessness he's alive. His whole body relaxes into his breathing, warm one. 

Hank clears his throat. "This is weird and wonderful and all but where's your guy?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've started a new fic and I honestly don't know how I'm going to keep up with myself.


	8. Mordo Vol. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They strike for Mordo once more and this time Tony's sure not to let him get away.

They end up at Hank's house, because they need to make a new plan and Tony definitely needs a new outfit. He has a huge wonderful dog called Sumo and all Stephen does while Connor finds clothes for Tony is play with him on the couch. The cloak pets him too, albeit gingerly. 

He hears a shower turn on and Connor walks into the living room. "Sumo is very friendly isn't he?" 

He looks over the back of the couch and smiles at the guy as he takes a pot and pan out of a cupboard. "He's great. Do you want help?" 

He shakes his head. He guesses it's a mercy, there's nothing he can do in the kitchen anymore, not that he ever did. 

Maybe Connor senses how useless he feels because he speaks up again, "Sumo's bowl looks rather empty" 

He's all too happy to be directed to the dog food and start to pour it in the metal bowl under the window. Sumo pushes at his hand so he can reach the bowl and he holds him back with a chuckle. 

"You're wet, You might get sick" He hears Connor say. 

"I have Tony to cure me" it's said jokingly but weirdly its true.

"Make sure you use the shower after him anyway" he sounds like a mother, It's cute. 

The front door opens then and Hank walks in with a grocery bag and a cheeky smile.

Connor leans out from the divider and raises a brow when he sees him. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. Fowler was extremely pissed at the state of his car but when I told him it saved The Mechanics life he had to shut up. I love it when he shuts up" he grins.

Stephen returns the food to its place. "Is he like a hero in Detroit know?"

"Yea, mostly thanks to us two being big mouths. Some people found out themselves though, you only have to Google him to find stories about villages he's rebuilt and people he's saved."

Stephen smiles. "That's him" that's the man he would do anything for. 

"Still can't fucking believe the man behind the mask is Tony Stark though" Hank breathes, falling back into the couch and shaking his head. 

Hank didn't notice at first, when they were all standing out in the rain. When he did, he almost crashed the car into a Starbucks. He smiles at the memory of the look on Hanks face when he turned around to look Tony in the face. "I was shocked when I first met him too"

"I thought he was an asshole when he was in the spotlight, destroying countries and sleeping with more women than the entirety of this city. His weapons are fucking A though" be pats below his heart twice, must be where he keeps his gun under the jacket.

"Glad you like them Hank" Tony says, walking in dressed in a white t shirt that looks a little too small, tight over his muscle, and a black hoodie too big, swallowing his wrists completely. It says Detroit Police Department on the breast, one white word under another. 

Stephen studies at him, his half damp hair, bare feet on the dark wood, the straight leg of his sweats almost touching the floor at his heels. There are too many words to describe how good he looks.

He's bullied into the bathroom next, left with his thoughts and a change of clothes. He stands under the stream letting the dirt of a day, or two days, god knows, wash down the drain. The guilt doesn't wash off though, it's only more poignant the longer he's alone. 

Tony deserves the hospitality, the clothes, the meal he can faintly smell from the kitchen. Stephen didn't do anything, nothing for someone to pat him on the back and tell him they would be lost without him. 

The whole reason they're running around risking their lives is him. Yes his heart ached but he reacted all wrong, too caught up to notice anything in Mordo, to know he shouldn't have opened that rum bottle.

Looking in the mirror after drying himself doesn't help at all. He looks like shit, his hair can't agree to do anything but flop over his left brow, his eyes look almost pink from lack of sleep and most garish of all is the red mark around his neck. It looks like a burn.

Sighing, he dresses in Connors white button up, rolls up the sleeves and slips on his black wash jeans. They're the same height and almost the same size, so apart from the stretch of the shirt around his wider frame everything fits well. 

The tables set when he returns and Tony's taken over as the resident Sumo petter, squatted and scratching behind his ears. It lifts his mood a little. 

"Hey," he follows the hand on his shoulder to Hanks kind expression, "You did good" 

He wonders if it's written across his forehead, how inadequate he feels, how little he's done right and how much he's done wrong. He smiles at the detective and knows it's watery at best. 

"The foods done" Connor says, walking over to the table expertly balancing four plates. He slides each one between the knife and fork set with absolute grace. 

Tony stands up and their eyes meet when he turns. He watches him smile at him like he doesn't look like absolute garbage and it's nice. 

They have salmon and potato, with tomatoes and greens. Connor tells them he's trying to get Hank to eat less red meat, he grumbles about it despite clearly enjoying the meal. Stephen loves them, they're odd yet perfect, two people who bring something completely different to each other. 

He wonders if he and Tony would ever get there. 

Tony Stark, ever resourceful, infinitely skilled and his partner Stephen Strange, the idiot that'll never live up to the title. Poetic. 

Once they're done Tony claps his hands together. "So, we need to locate Mordo"

"No you two are going to bed, work tomorrow" Hank says, collecting the plates on the table. 

Tony smiles sweetly. "That's really nice but I think we've overstayed our welcome" 

"You're a long way away from that. We'll sleep in the guest room, you two take the bed" he goes to the kitchen with the stuff. 

"Why are you taking the guest?" Stephen asks. It's purpose is for guests, which they are. 

Hank strolls back in smiling. "It's got a single bed. Something tells me you two aren't there yet" he winks. 

"Fine, only if I wash the dishes" Tony stands. Connor stands too. 

"No I'll do them"

"You made the dinner"

"I'm very happy to do them" Connors voice turns hard, as does his stare. 

"That's irrelevant" Tony snaps back. 

Stephen and Hank exchange a look as the other two seem to be staring lasers at each other, smoke may as well be billowing out of their heads. 

He wordlessly heads to the kitchen and turns the tap on over the dishes. As he picks up the first dish and hand closes around his wrist. 

Tony steps next to him, so they're hip to hip. "You dry yea?"

They start in silence, Tony cleans the plates and he waits for them, drying and stacking. He glances back at Connor and Hank, sat watching tv, cuddled together. 

"I'm sorry" 

Tony looks up from the fork he's passing him. "Huh?"

"I fucked up. I feel like apologising once isn't enough"

He shrugs. "What happened happened. Now we deal with it."

"We could be doing something nice now. Instead we're chasing Mordo across Michigan. That's my fault" Tony doesn't pass him anything so he let's his hands hang. They're heavy at his sides.

"Maybe it's a good thing. I wouldn't have admitted how I feel if I hadn't been so stressed"

He holds the counter, looking at the almost empty sink. "Am I really worth all this though?"

Tony ducks under his arm. They're standing chest to chest. His smile could put the sun out of a job. "I'd like to think so"

The coiled pain in his chest eases a bit and he manages a real smile, an adoring one. How could he look at Tony and not adore? 

When Tony tilts his chin up and kisses him it tastes like hot chocolate. It's warm and comforting and sweet. Tony drags his lip between his teeth and he follows the motion, dipping down. When they part he sucks his lip into his mouth as if that will preserve the feeling.

The walls and floor of Hank and Connors room are basic, mute colours, which makes the blue and orange streaked bed sheet stand out to its full capacity. Stephen sits on it cross legged and watches Tony summon Jarvis from his little glass home. 

"Okay Jar watcha got for me?" He taps Jarvis' circular body and a bunch of projections shoot out of him. CCTV captures of Mordo, a plane ticket and Atlanta airport arrivals the most blown up ones. 

"That son of a bitch." Tony drags a hand down his face. "No this is good," he takes off his hoodie, flinging it over Stephens leg, "We let him get settled in and fly there in the jet first thing"

Stephen should be contributing but he's much more interested in the flex of Tony's arms as he crosses them, the lines down his forearm when he scratches his chin, veins and dips between muscles. He looks good in white, it compliments his bronze skin.

"Are you listening?"

"Sorry, what?" 

"He's going by Chiwetel Ejiofor. His passport has the name too. Jarvis run a search" he pockets his hands and the top stretches over the uneven edges of the stone. He wonders what it really looks like. 

"There is a flight under the name. Atlanta to London. Departs in two days at 8:45am" Jarvis rattles off. Mordo's plan really clicks then. 

"You think he's going to hit the London Sanctum?" 

Tony nods, "Yea, more specifically he wants to take Sanctum Master Elrik's powers" 

"And then Master Chi?" He's only met her once or twice, same with Elrik. She's lovely but wary. He's short, young and angry but immensely powerful.

"Yep. Top to bottom. But we aren't going to let him even get on the flight to London. Jarvis warn Edward and Chi to be on high alert just in case"

"Yes sir"

"Tony I think we should rest"

He pushes a breath. "Yea true" 

The thing is, they both know they're not going to sleep in their clothes, but the question is who will strip first. 

He almost chokes when Tony pulls his sweats down, kicking them off and folding them over the back of a chair behind him. Seeing him in fitting boxers… he wants to grab onto that round ass and never let go.

He looks down at his top then, and the hesitation is bright as day.

"It's an important part of you," Stephen says. It is, it makes him unique and powerful and without it he wouldn't be able to do so much good on such a scale. Without it he would be dead. 

"Doesn't mean it's pretty" he groans, pulling the top over his head and tossing it carelessly over the chair. 

Stephen takes it all in. As he felt the stone is an irregular shape, but still close to circular. It looks like a big crystal, and the blue is bright, clear, exactly the same royal blue as the glow he emits. 

The skin around it is another story, not so mystical, more like someone ripped his chest open with blunt fingernails and jammed the stone in there. It looks stretched, uncomfortable. 

"It is pretty. Looks uncomfortable though"

He huffs, putting his hands on his hips like there was nowhere else to rest them. "Yea the first year was torture. I could feel it pushing everything. I'd wake up in the middle of the night trying to rip it out"

"Immense power comes at a price I guess" he offers a smile. It's hard to know what to say, he wants to hug him, or apologise, but he knows pity and empty words won't be appreciated.

He pushes out his bottom lip. "You're very right." 

There's a silence where they seem to digest that the situation is a little awkward, with Tony standing gloriously near naked in front of him. He starts unbuttoning his shirt to even the field. He can do it, but in the time someone does three buttons he can only do one. Tony must notice, stepping in and taking over with no words.

He wouldn't let anyone else do it, it would make him feel inferior, disabled. With Tony it's different, a warm and intimate show of care. He doesn't treat Stephen like a thing that can be broken -he launched them off a roof after all- but recognises that he has his cracks. 

When his shirt is completely open Tony's warm fingers press to his collarbone. They're rough as they trail up the length of his neck and settle around the back. The heat melts his very brain. 

"God you're attractive, damn" 

He grins up at him, uncaring about how much he doesn't like doing it. He's just never felt so appreciated. "You almost sound like Hank"

"Well that comes from being an old dog. Seen too much unlike ya bright eyed kids" he replies, voice gravely and eerily close to Hanks.

"That's scary" he pulls Tony's shoulders until he's flat on the bed with him between his legs, propped up on elbows and smiling down like a fairy tale prince. His fairy tale prince. 

"Do you think we'll ever be like them?"

Tony rolls off to lay next to him on his back and makes a thoughtful sound. "With time I'm sure. But we have a lot to figure out when this dies down"

"Yea?" He turns on his side, elbow sinking into the mattress. 

Tony raises his hands to the ceiling like he's trying to feel the light from above them between his fingers. "There's so much! What are we? What will we tell other people we are? We can't spend all day cuddling in bed, I- we're busy."

He rests a hand on Tony's ribcage, not brave enough to go close to the stone. "We like each other. That's the important part" 

They sound like two teenagers stumbling into their first serious relationships, and maybe they are, the obstacles they face aren't just anxious thoughts.

"Well then get down here and kiss me"

He's all too happy to obey, leaning down and joining their lips. It's slow yet again, and Stephen allows focus to explore, to run his hand over Tony's stomach and feel the lean muscle of daily training and chasing bad guys. 

That same muscle bunches when Tony twists and just like that he's on his back looking up at him on all fours. He finds he likes being caged as long as it's by him.

They connect again a lot more briskly and Tony's licking into his mouth in earnest, pulling hair and dragging teeth enough to make Stephen gasp into his mouth. 

Hands slip under the open shirt, sliding over his nipples and making his next gasp sound more like a moan. They settle on his sides, under his ribcage, and grip tight. Tight like they're saying 'all mine and no one else's.'

And Stephen wants to be all Tony's, he wants to absorb into his touch and feel blanketed by him. Always. 

Teeth sink into where neck joins shoulder and the sound he makes is definitely loud enough to reach their hosts. The bite gets deeper and he whines, desperately aware of the arousal between his legs. 

Tony lets go and kisses the throbbing pain, the good pain. Then he feels his nose run up the curve of his neck, heavy breaths cooling the heat he's filled with.

By the time the breath fans over his ear his toes are curling in the agonising anticipation for the next thing. 

Tony laughs, airy, and rolls off. 

It's so cold. 

"Don't look at me like that. If I had continued I wouldn't be able to control myself and I don't think this is the time or place" he scrubs his face. 

Disappointed as he might be, those words run a chill down his spine. Tony Stark, Sorcerer Supreme, losing control because of him. And a promise of a next time.

_

"So Connor and I were thinking," Hank starts, chomping down on a croissant, "when you get your powers back we should have a barbecue to celebrate. Haven't used the back garden in a while"

"That's a good idea but you understand I can't really attend events like that. Unless I don't eat" he covers his nose and mouth with a hand, indicating the nature of his mask.

Hank raises his hands. "No you invite people who already know who you are. Just them and us"

"Okay. That can be done" 

They don't stay much longer, it's half hour before Tony calls Wong for a portal close to Atlanta airport. 

"Be safe. We'll see you soon" Connor smiles at them, sunny as ever.

"Yea. You're on steak duty for the barbecue you rich bastard" Hank slaps Tony on the back hard enough for him to lurch forward. 

"Okay Grandad, don't break your back while we're gone" 

Hank punches him in the arm and Tony punches right back. Then they grin at each other. He and Connor share the same look. Maybe they're closer to being like them than they thought. 

Waving goodbye, they step through the portal and into a gas station. Yet again. 

"You're not going to steal another car are you?" 

"You know me so well" 

Before he even knows it they're in a gunmetal Range Rover and Stephen is all to grumpy about it. 

"Jesus you're worse than Cap. This is theft for the greater good" 

"Whatever. Where are we going?"

"Fairburn. It's about 20 minutes away. Mordo checked into one of the cabins there"

"Sounds like open space. He'll see us coming" that's probably his goal. There's too many places too hide in cities, too many shadows. 

Tony smirks, probably because as always he's ahead of the game. "Yeah, we're not going to him just yet. Jarvis find me somewhere high, within a 500 metre radius."

"There is an uninhabited lakeside cabin 10 minutes away sir. The chimney is being repaired and the scaffolding is stable for two people" 

"Wonderful"

They drive along the river until the road dips between tall slim trees. It almost feels like going away on a retreat. Especially with Tony tapping his finger against the wheel and humming to the music coming out of the radio. Your Song, Billy Paul 1972. A calm slice of Motown pop.

In an ideal future this could be them going away, a quiet retreat away from interdimensional monsters and villains. Who knows if they could ever have it. 

The cabin isn't what he expected, much larger and modern with wide stone steps leading onto a porch and a black roof. It is however very much lakeside. 

Tony parks right next to it and they walk until he stops at those stairs. He smiles up at the house, pushing his hands in the pockets of Hanks DPD hoodie. "I wish we were here for a different reason" 

Stephens happy to be included. 

They round the cabin and while Tony climbs the scaffolding like something out of a Fast and Furious movie he calmly floats up with the cloak.

"You know I haven't asked what we do now we're here" he says when his feet touch the wood of the scaffolding. 

Tony sits on the floor with his backpack in front of him. Out of it he pulls a black rifle.

"Tony you can't assassinate Mordo" 

He looks up at him incredulously. "I'm not going to" from the bag -which is definitely a pocket dimension- comes a stand and a scope. 

"So what is this? Overpriced binoculars?" He asks, watching Tony mount the gun and attach the scope like sniping people is his part time job. 

The weapon is matte and when he shifts he can see it says Stark Industries along it in shiny black.

"Listen, I'm going to shoot him, but in the leg or something, to incapacitate not kill. Then you're going to fly us over there, we get our powers back and the Shield truck will be here in 10 to put him away" 

"He can still use his powers to stop us" he points out, sitting next to him. There are four cabins in the distance, he could be in any one of them.

He lies on his front to look through the scope. "And that's where my ultimatum comes in. Either I cure his wound if he gives us our powers or leave him to bleed to death if he doesn't"

"You would really do that?" He's not angry that Tony would murder somebody but disappointed in a way. Everyone's taught as a child that heroes don't kill people. 

He adjusts the angle of the gun. "If it comes to it. I'm more hoping he doesn't have time to stop us so we go with the first ending" 

"Have you ever killed anyone?" Stephen has. Sometimes he feels like he's dragging that body behind him. Ankle tied to ankle. 

He looks down from the scope, his shoulders sink ever so slightly. "Yea. I killed to escape from my kidnappers in '08 and I have once under the masters. The Ancient One was there"

"What did she say?" 

"That she wished she had done it instead, that she's better at carrying the burden" he looks back into the scope.

He doesn't know why he's surprised by The Ancient One knowing murder when he knows it just months after joining. He can't quite picture it though, such a calm woman causing someone's demise. 

"There you are asshole" Tony grins, pulling up his hood and positioning his hands over the gun.

Stephen holds his breath. 

He can hear the bullet cutting the air. Then glass shattering somewhere far away. 

Tony scrambles up and shoves the gun and parts back into the backpack. "Let's bounce" he jumps into Stephens arms and he shoots in the same direction as the bullet. 

The cabin gets closer and closer. He can see the broken window. 

"Straight through the window!" Tony yells. 

He's not happy about it but compiles, dipping his head into Tony's lap as they pass through a jagged glass frame and crash into the floor. 

Something is definitely wrong with his ankle and in the time he realises that Tony throws himself to Mordo, who's clutching a bleeding thigh on the floor, and turns him on his back.

The way he shoves his hand on his stomach looks like he wants to rip his organs out. Instead two white fairy lights float into his palm and disappear. Absorbed by the rough skin of his palm.

The moment speeds up after that, Tony backs away, he manages to stand, Mordo grunts out of his teeth. 

"It's over" 

He sits up, glaring at Tony. "I gave you a chance. You didn't want to be Sorcerer Supreme" 

"I also don't want you to tear the Masters apart. Our work is important"

Mordo looks at Stephen. He's glazed with sweat. "And corrupt"

He isn't corrupt. Just a fool.

Stephens breath catches when Tony approaches Mordo, kneeling at his side. "We'll work it out. You could have been part of that"

"I won't" 

A light touch of fingertips to temple and Mordo falls back onto the wood. Completely limp. 

It's quiet after that. Tony heals Mordo's leg and drags him out of the cabin. Stephen may have an MD but the pool of blood sleeping between the floorboards is disconcerting. 

The black Shield van pulls up right at the doorstep and Mordo's taken inside. Their problem locked behind heavy doors. 

A woman walks in like she owns the place and Tony talks to her like she doesn't; making jokes and giving instructions on how to deal with their perp.

His phone starts ringing mid conversation and when he looks at the display he sighs. Then the phones flying through the space between them and he catches it clumsily against his chest. 

"Tell him to piss off would you?" He says, returning to his run down. 

Stephen looks at the screen. It says Dr Handsome. He has to admit he was jealous before, he let his own pride and Mordo get into his head. But the simple gesture of Tony asking him to speak to him shows there's nothing between them he wants to hide. 

He answers, "Tony's busy at the moment. Is there something I can pass on?"

"Who are you?" The voice is deep, smooth, cautious. 

"Dr Strange" it takes all his willpower not to emphasise the doctor part. God knows where the impulse comes from. 

"Oh. The newbie. I'm Dr Doom. I need to speak to Tony"

He looks over at him, caught up in emphasising how important it is that Mordo can't move even one finger. "He's in the middle of something"

"Did he get his abilities back?" 

"Yes- wait how do you know about that?" 

"Good. He'll need them. I don't think he's safe"

He hears his heart stutter loud and clear. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if it's wise to tell him, he likes to face danger head on" Doom replies, voice level. 

"What type of danger are we talking about?" He doesn't sound quite the same. 

"Picture Dormamu but less powerful and more evil"

He paces up to the window, putting more space between him and them. "And they want him for what?"

"The Eye of Horus is somewhat the son of the infinity stones. Very well sought after" 

The anxiety only builds, bringing the walls around his heart in tighter. His hands shake more than usual. "What do we do?" 

"He said you're the keeper of the time stone. You have enough resources to protect him. I will be doing the same, from afar" 

"Okay, alright, I'll stay close. But if it turns out this is all a ruse for your gain-"

"I'm happy with my power and Tony was destined for the eye. I won't touch him" he can agree with that, Tony's far from unworthy. It's a perfect match. 

"If you need me-" 

"I'll find you at the New York Sanctum" the line cuts. 

Stephens not sure how long he stands there staring at the black screen.

Tony's not safe. The thought tastes bitter. 

"What he say?" Tony's voice startles him out of his trance.

"He was asking about lunch again. Something to do with a magic wand" he says, trying not to sound like he's making it up on the spot. 

Tony starts walking out of the cabin. Stephen follows, he always follows. "Oh that guy and his Wand of Watoomb. Like I get it, he has one, go him" he rolls his eyes. 

"That's not some kind of inside joke innuendo I don't know about right?" 

He laughs, passing through the front door. "Would be hilarious if it was. Come" 

Stephen steps close as per instruction. A hand presses to his stomach gently and that thing that choked in him breathes once more. 

Tony grins watching Maria get into the van before it drives away. "Now, we rest" 

He can't rest. Tony's not safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yuhuh the cottage by the lake is the Endgame one. Also Doom yaay.


	9. Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen and Tony take a break from jumping off buildings to enjoy some steak and each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I finally have wifi on my computer and I can play mine- I mean start posting again ;)

Tony's dreams of kicking his feet up don't exactly come true. They have to sit a meeting with the Masters council and it drags on for almost two hours. Stephen doesn't say much and Tony somehow manages to manipulate the narrative so he doesn't look like the idiot that he was.

After that, on a whim, he asks Tony if he wants to go shopping. They have a great time, trying on outlandish outfits and making fun of each other. Tony looks good in everything, he learns that too. In the end Tony buys way more that the agreed, leaving the notes on the counter next to the ripped off tags of all the things they escape with. Including matching cardigans. 

How it was supposed to be.

That night he coerces Tony to sleep in his room. The bed is nothing to compare to his and barely wide enough for two people but the idea of being even in a different room from him makes him want to throw up.

He's not safe. 

Tony, eyes swimming brown and gold under the soft light of his lamp. Tony, gasping as Stephen trails kisses down his warm skin. Tony, twisting his fingers in his hair as he lies heavy on his tongue, thick in the back of his throat. Tony, moaning his name when he tumbles over the edge. 

Tony, biting and sucking at his neck. Tony, taking him in hand. Tony, making his toes curl. Tony, whispering dirty praise in his ear until he sees white.

He falls asleep holding Tony tight to his chest. 

______ 

Morning brings birds outside and blistering heat under their sheet. He couldn't care less. The heat comes from Tony. He wasn't stolen away in the night.

He's aware Tony's awake when he grunts, kicking the sheet almost clean off them and wriggling around to nestle into Stephen, head under his chin. "I'm buying you a new bed" he grumbles. 

Stephen laughs and weaves his fingers in the hair of his nape. He likes sleepy Tony. He likes waking up with him there at his side. 

"My body clock is fucked now. Don't know how I'll sleep in Kathmandu" he huffs. 

"You don't have to. Sleep here" he wants him to. He wants him always. He wants his life full of Tony. 

And he's in danger. 

Tony pushes him flat on his back and draws nonsensical patterns on his chest that make his heart flutter. "Are you asking me to move in babe?" He wiggles his brows. Stephens heart flutters more.

He cranes his neck to press a kiss on Tony's lips. "Not yet, I haven't had an intense internal crisis about not deserving you"

He brushes a bit of hair off his forehead, smiling a million watts. "Well before that happens; you do" 

He's not empty anymore. His heart is full of Tony. 

He makes a thoughtful sound. "I'm not so sure. I don't think anyone does"

He snorts. "What are you on about? I'm a jaded old man"

Stephen trails his fingers over Tony's collarbone. "You're not old"

"I'm ten years older than you"

He stops, looking closely at Tony's face. "Wait really?" 

He has crows feet, endearing crows feet, and his skin isn't taught with youth at his cheeks and under his eyes. He has frown lines. Other than that, he hasn't got one grey hair anywhere and his face looks perfect. 

He grins, eyes closed. "Surprise I'm your dirty old sugar daddy"

He shakes his head, pressing his lips to Tony's warm shoulder. "You smell good for someone dirty" The flowers and metal aren't there but the Tony scent that binds them together won't ever go away. 

"Have you called your invites to the barbecue?" He kisses his way up Tony's shoulder, to his neck. 

"Yep. My whole families gonna be there so prepare to get beat up with shovels" 

"Who's your whole family?" He asks against the side of his throat. 

"Rhodey's my exasperated dad, Peps my big sister and Happy's my weird cousin" 

He leans back, mulling that over. "But if you and Pepper dated doesn't that…"

A finger presses against his lips. "No Stephen don't go there"

He bites it into his mouth. "Yes sir" 

Tony laughs. "You slut" 

"For you" he winks. There's something hot about Tony calling him a slut.

His eyes loose mirth and gain mischief. "Should we test that?" 

And that's how he ends up with one leg over Tony's shoulder, drooling around three fingers in his mouth and fucking down on two inside him. It's magical to forget everything, only focused on chasing that next burst of pleasure when his fingers hit the right spot, over and over. 

If someone put a mirror in front of him he'd see blank eyes, wet lips, tongue slipping under and between Tony's fingers. His hips rocking down so desperately it's as automatic as breathing. 

He's never felt so used. The bliss is amazing. 

Then his untouched dick starts brushing against Tony's hard, clothed one and his hand remembers itself enough to scratch Tony from shoulder to elbow.

He grunts and bites down on Stephens neck much harder than last time. He prays it marks and never goes away. A brand to remind him of the best morning sex of his life. 

It's very apparent to him suddenly that there's something not in him that should be. 

He doesn't want those worn fingertips out of his mouth so in the glaze of heat he finds Tony's waistband and yanks. 

"That's not very polite Stephen" he shoves his fingers in hard, not two but three, curling them more than before. He screams. It burns but it's so good. 

"Please" he gasps out, garbled by Tony's fingers. 

It's no surprise that Tony cooperates, three fingers was enough of a sign. When those come out he's left shaking and sensitive, waiting for Tony to fill him. 

He smirks up at Stephen. "Watch this" two fingers, that had just been inside him, go into his mouth and out comes a condom packet.

He's actually impressed, blinking owlishly at the suddenly appearing item. It has to be a pocket dimension trick. 

Grinning, Tony rips it open with his perfect teeth and all Stephen can do is bite down on Tony's fingers so he'd hurry up. His cock almost hurts from waiting. 

He feels the chill of lube first, being slathered over his hole, and his thighs are shaking so much they're cramping. 

Then a hand takes firm hold of the thigh over Tony's shoulder and he feels the blunt tip. Finally. Fucking finally. 

The edge is there, but it's slight as Tony pushes in. When he's completely inside a peace washes through him, like he's accomplished it all. And if he has Tony that's certainly true. 

It starts off slow; a rolling of hips, whimpers, adjusting, heavy breaths from them both. But the pace picks up until Tony's barreling into him one forceful thrust after the other and he's lost all preservation to moan high and loud.

In moments of intensity there can be a small detail that nudges to the peak. Here, over an awful bed and under a beautiful man, it's Tony's expression that changes it all. He's always been in control, in duties and in bedroom matters, but when he looks at his face he sees it's all gone. Tony's as much as a slave to the blinding waves as he is. His brows are knitted together, gravelly exhales punctuating each thrust. And the fingers in the flesh of his thigh dig so hard he's certain to have bruises. 

He watches Tony unravel and soon they have no string left. 

The next three hours are bouts of falling in and out of sleep, Stephen on his back with Tony thrown over him.

"What's something you've always wanted to do?" He asks him, raising a hand to card it through his soft hair. 

There's a silence of thought. "I haven't been to the beach in something like ten years. Miss that" He knows what Tony means with that. He can't go to the beach, not when his identity and the big rock in his chest would be out in the open. But he knows the power of mirror dimensions and sets a mental reminder to take him to one sometime soon. 

"I should get up and sort out those steaks" he grunts, sitting up and arching his back till it clicks. Over the cold feeling Stephen notices angry scratch marks on Tony's arms, standing out bright red. His marks. 

He lightly presses his fingers there. "Why hasn't this healed?"

"Oh you see things don't heal if I will them not to" he grins like the sly fucker he is and taps him on the nose. 

It's definitely obvious that he's blushing to his hairline. Something tells him Tony intends to go to the barbecue with those marks still shining strong.

"Stay here for a bit I'll come back for you" he earns a soft kiss on the lips before Tony slips out of the bed and yanks on his underwear and jeans. 

He wouldn't go anywhere. Only wait for him.

He lies aware of the dull throb of sex and with a pain in his hip.

But he's never been so happy.

Hiding a grin from no one, he knows he isn't empty anymore. 

Tony's back in twenty minutes and his eyes almost implode at the sight of him. He looks like the front cover of sex itself; wearing those blue jeans that rest low on his hips from a lack of belt and nothing else. His hair is tousled from the night and morning and his abdomen is plains of muscle from combat just waiting to be traced and tasted.

"Why are you so hot?" He groans, pulling the sheet over his head so he doesn't stress his tired dick anymore.

"I could ask you the same. What do you want to wear?" 

"I don't care. You pick" he hears Tony walking to his wardrobe and peaks over the sheet to watch him as he contemplates the new clothes in it. The muscles in his back shift like a ripple effect when he rests his hands on his hips. He follows the dip of his spine until it disappears under low jeans. He has to take deep breaths to not get hard again. 

Tony tosses a deep red polo at him, one he bought because he said it matches his tunic from colour to gold detail on the collar and short sleeves. The other thing that smacks him in the face is black jeans. 

When they're getting dressed he's so caught up in the stretch as Tony pulls on a loose white t shirt and puts his leg in the wrong pant leg.

"I can't believe you're keeping that" Stephen looks at the scratch marks on the side of Tony's arm, emerging from the sleeve of his shirt, as they wait for the door to be answered.

"And I can't believe you're hiding this" he pops two buttons from Stephens collar, knowing it reveals the beginnings of the red bite mark on his neck. 

Connor answers the door and he barely looks at them both before he's smirking. "Hi, this way" 

Tony picks up the box of stakes and they follow him around the side of the house.

"Congratulations on catching Karl. You two look well" he says over his shoulder when they reach the gate. 

"I certainly am" Tony chirps, completely playing into Connors intent.

Their yard is lovely, simple, just a wooden table between benches, grass, a stone path and a barbecue. Hanks there with none other but Wong next to him, listening to something he has to say about coal with his hands behind his back like everyone one seems to do at Kamar Taj.

"Hey guys." Hank waves them over, "Tony you son of a gun. Did you really bring steaks?" He opens up the box to peer inside.

"Course" he sets the box down on the ground. It has 15 pieces in it, enough for everyone to have one each and leave 4 spare for those -Wong- who have a larger appetite. If the attendance number Tony dictated is correct.

They all spend ten minutes waiting for coal to turn white until Wong is tired of it and sets it on high fire with the flick of a hand. 

The next person to arrive is a guy with hair that could only be described as ambitious architecture.

"Stephen this is my lawyer" Tony says, having guided him to the man. 

He looks him up and down. In a white shirt, red tie and blue slacks he looks like he's just come from a courthouse. A colourful one at that. 

"Phoenix Wright"

"Dr Stephen Strange. So are you two friends?"

"His friend is one of us"

"Yea I was worried when Tony was kidnapped but not long after Maya came to me saying he'd arrived at Kamar Taj. Insane" 

Tony excuses himself. Stephens still interested in the fortunately named lawyer. "What do you do for Tony now?"

"Honestly mostly assets, and picking up case or two he might send my way" he smiles.

"A… case?" 

"Yes I'm the attorney to come to in matters of the mystical so to speak"

The confusion builds by the second. "Mystical things are taken to the court of law?" 

"Something like one Sorcerer murdering another can be if it catches public attention." It makes sense, put that way. It's no use having an attorney that doesn't understand their world. 

"Aren't you working just outside of the line of legality?"

"If I've learned anything is that the law isn't the end all be all. Many things can hardly be defined as guilty or not guilty. Is helping and protecting a man that's supposedly dead bad because it's illegal?"

"No, It isn't" he realises. 

"There you go"

"Hey come meet Pep and Rhodey" Tony links his arm and leads him around to the two. They're a lot less daunting up close than what their titles say; a sharp CEO and a stony Air Force Colonel. 

"This is my… um Stephen" 

Neither of them extend their hands. He figures Tony told them not to before hand. 

"Hi nice to meet you both" he smiles. Pepper smiles back but Rhodey stays stony as Tony promised. 

"And you and Tony are a thing but you haven't spoken about what you are to each other because he's an idiot. That it?"

He's hit the nail on the head. And he doesn't care much for whether he's called a boyfriend or not as long as there's trust that Tony's his and nobody else's. Maybe it means that he does want them to be together, in a more official capacity. 

Tony leans back on his heels, innocently smiling. "Yep. Would you excuse us?"

Stephens dragged over to a spot where no one is around. "What is this?" 

Tony throws his arms over his shoulders and pulls him until their foreheads press together. "A huddle"

"We don't have to talk about this now Tony it's okay" 

"Be my boyfriend" 

He couldn't ever do the same. He couldn't just ask someone to be their boyfriend in the middle of a barbecue on a whim. Tony wouldn't ever let anything stop him though, he barrels into everything face first. Fear is hardly an afterthought. He loves that. He loves him.

He loves Tony. 

"Stephen?" 

"What?- yea. Yes. Of course" 

"Good. I'm happy. Would want anybody else" when Tony kisses him he's grinning. It doesn't work, especially when Tony starts laughing, but it's perfect. 

He loves it. He loves him.

When they go back Rhodey is actually smiling and Pepper could light up the bottom of the ocean.

"Guys this is my boyfriend Stephen"

"It's a pleasure," Pepper says, then, in a stage whisper to Tony. "He's cute"

"I know. And he's a doctor" Tony whispers back. 

"You were a neurosurgeon right?" Rhodey asks, ignoring the other two. 

"Yea. Did you look me up?"

He was kidding but Rhodey doesn't smile when he answers. "As soon as Tony told me your name" 

"Hey how did you two even befriend two Detroit cops?"

"They helped us a lot in a recent attack on the city. We owe them a great deal. And occasionally they tell a good joke" Connor says, having joined them and put a hand on Tony's shoulder.

Tony cuts his eyes at him. He smiles in that placid way of his. "Right back at you buddy" 

The smell of meat fills the air, Clint and Natasha arrive, Wong gets first helping of the hotdogs, Happy arrives, Rhodey and Hank argue about the best peacekeeping agency, Ed storms in and eats anything that's mildly cooked, and they have a full house. 

"So, metal arm. I have a friend who has one. It's much more… beefy though." Natasha says, accentuating with the crunch of a tortilla chip. 

Ed smacks the table with his gloved hands. "Who are you calling so puny he can't even lift a crate of bananas!?" 

Clint looks at him weird, something Stephen still does to this day. "She didn't say that bro"

"Mustang did say you're as angry as ever" Rhodey chuckles.

With everyone he meets he finds the world gets smaller and smaller. Rhodey knows Ed through a special division Colonel in the military specialising in enhanced matters, Phoenix has a friend in the Masters and it's only time before another link is made. 

He excuses himself to grab a water from the cooler and steals a glance at Tony as he does. He's taken over the barbecue, chatting happily with Hank, Happy and Phoenix as the three of them watch with beers in hand, or water in Hanks case.

"His ass is great isn't it?" He turns to see Pepper standing behind him, arms crossed over her blue shirt.

"I wasn't-" 

"Don't worry, it's not like you're not allowed to look now" she winks. 

Peppers pretty, like that girl in class sitting in the front row with her nose in a book that you know you'd never get. Unless you're Tony. 

"I'm glad to see you here. I didn't expect it, with how busy you must be"

She shrugs, drinking her lemonade. "Well this was important. I haven't seen Tony in ages and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to meet you"

"And? I hear shovels in the distance"

She laughs. "Tony's precious. He's a rare gem. But only for those who have an eye for them. I hope that's you"

"I think so" he looks over. He's watching Connor do tricks with a coin with such awe on his face, like he can't perform actual magic. He is precious. 

"We talk on the phone a lot. When the Ancient One died his voice didn't sound the same. But then he would tell stories about your shitty bedroom and your accidents with relics and he'd sound happy."

"Really?" 

He remembers how hard Tony laughed when that book nearly ate him. It was frankly terrifying and he was sobbing on the ground. That has to be the story he told her. 

Well, he's happy he tells people about him, that he isn't this hidden away thing. 

"After the accident maybe the world wanted to give back to me with Tony" the accident was his fault. He never deserved Tony and he never will, but he'll definitely love him.

"How do you like your new world? With sorcery and Avengers and all that"

"It's a lot to absorb. Like, Black Widow is really sitting over there not dipping her nachos. And dimensions, they're literally a whole new world"

"Yea Tony flipped out too. But is it that shocking that we aren't the only reality?"

"It is when you see some of those realities."

She quirks a brow. "Well I'll have to book an all inclusive" 

He laughs. They talk about the strangest dimensions he's been to, she talks about her strangest business encounters, they discuss Manhattan life, how good the stakes are. All of it.

Stephen concludes he really likes Pepper, the two of them work. She's witty and smart, all he needs to get along with someone. 

When the sun gets low it's go time and Tony asks everyone where they're heading so he can open a row of portals to each place. Its bizarre, like a taxi service 100 years in the future. 

He gets a nod from Rhodey and the Avengers and a hug from Pepper. She smells like flowers too, not the same ones as Tony though. 

"What a fucking sucsess" Hank says, smacking the barbecue lid. The metal reverberates until it's absorbed into the grass. 

"Yea thank you both I had a great time"

Tony nods. "Ditto. I do however feel like I'm gonna fall over from those steaks" 

"How many did you eat?" He asks, wrapping his arm around his waist not because he looks like he's going to fall, just because he can. 

"He ate two. So he's a weak stomach pussy"

Tony looks cute when he's affronted. "Hey I don't eat a lot"

"It was brought to my attention that you two are officially dating now. Here's a gift to celebrate" Connor hands Tony a bottle of wine.

"Wow thanks. Maybe we should break up and get back together, see if we get anything else"

"Don't push it" Hank taunts.

"I should have brought you guys a gift. Now I feel bad- wait. How about… this" he flicks his wrist and handcuffs are dangling off his finger. 

"Tony" he warns, watching Connor and Hank go a little pink. 

"You're right. They're cops" they disappear. "Here" 

Two blue roses materialise in his hand and he gives one to each of them. Connor looks at his like he's seen the light. 

"This is amazing. Thank you" he grins. Hank seems more illuminated by that then the flower. 

"Yea now fuck off before I start crying"

They all hug, say see you later, and Stephen takes them both to the garden in front of Tony's house. 

Tony turns in his hold, resting his palm on his chest. "Today was good. Everyone really liked you"

"Even Rhodes?"

"Yep. He's just a serious guy, but funny when you get to know him. Anyway can I interest you in some wine?" He holds up the bottle. 

"You can" he kisses Tony on those pretty lips. 

"Sit there I'll get glasses" he points at a patch of grass within the flowers and jogs into the house. 

There's just enough space for him to lie stretched out on the grass. He watches clouds move across the sky in an unhurried pace. That's kind of how life feels, unhurried, lived for the moment, the details. 

"If you fuck up my flowers we're done"

He sits up while Tony descends, looking at his feet. The toe of his shoe is just shy of touching a blue tulip.

"Have you always been so into gardening?" 

He shakes his head, pouring out the wine. "No. Back before this I couldn't even tell a flower from a sheep. The Ancient One gifted me a pot of daffodils and I watered them from time to time. Once I touched one and it turned slightly green. From then on I kinda got obsessed with all this, trying to see how far I could push them."

"Are the blue roses the limit?" There are blue flowers around them, many types, but none are such a brilliant blue like those roses. Almost glowing. 

"I'm trying to make a tulip from white to black. A couple years ago I read The Black Tulip, a Dumas book, and it compelled me to see if I can. Of course I'm cheating" he taps the stone in his chest. 

Stephen takes in his surroundings; the soft sun, softer wind, green, bursts of flowers, trees in the distance, mountains even further. "Do you want to leave this place?" 

"What?" He frowns over the rim of his glass. 

"Mordo said you don't want to be Sorcerer Supreme."

"Right. It's just, I wasn't destined to be this. I don't know if it's right, if I'm right" he shrugs.

"You've lead well so far. Who could do better?" 

Tony smiles at him with almost pitty. He leans back on one hand, watching birds migrate above them. "Do you want to leave?" 

"No. Of course not. I'm not who I was when I came here" he didn't want to be bound to an institution he didn't believe in. Now he doesn't see going back to the hospital in his future at all. Bigger things are at stake. He knows now. 

"Good. We need you" 

He sips the wine. Its nice, has a perfect sweetness. "Why did you tell Doom I'm the keeper of the time stone? It's not like we had a ceremony."

"Now that's your destiny. It's yours to protect but you're not alone, you have help" he smiles assuringly. Stephen believes him with our without it. He's not sure about the destiny part though.

"I may be wrong but doesn't the Supreme keep the time stone?"

"Circumstances are special. With the stone I already have I shouldn't have another. Because if I'm taken down we lose two" he explains, drinking down dark liquid. 

In the quiet he finds there are more questions he wants to ask, that he's wanted to ask for a while. "What is the stone? Is it really the Eye of Horus?" 

"I can't say I know. I think it's older than Egyptian myth itself but who knows if the gods were real." He pauses, miles away, "I think that maybe it shouldn't have been created at all"

"Why?"

"It disrupts the order of nature. It brings me back again and again but according to nature I should be dead." 

"Shouldn't you be thankful for that?" Stephen certainly is. A world where he had never known that smile, never saw those blue roses, it's darker. 

"Yea but I don't know… I think about it a lot, about its place in me. Its not-"

"The eye of Horus is well, his eye. That was inside him" he points out. 

"I'm not a god though. I'm just a guy that's seen way too much in his life" he shakes his head, gulping down some more wine. 

"You're stunning enough to be one." He murmurs, studying the orange hue to his skin as the sun shines on him. He's almost golden. 

Tony smirks. "Do I make mortals cower at my beauty?" 

"You definitely make Stpehen cower. And then some" 

"Oh I know Stephen, he's the mortal from the village I just can't resist." He leans close, until their noses bump. 

"What about him can't you resist?" He whispers, feeling Tony's breath against his lips. He swallows. 

"Everything" 

Tony pries his lips open soft, slips in tongue slow. It's all so unhurried, like the clouds; the splay of fingers on neck, the forgetting of wine, the idle touches on arm, leg. Warm.

Stephen falls back on the grass and takes Tony with him. Always takes him. He slips his trembling hands under his shirt and feels the heat of his back, the skin over his ribs. He feels a lot, feels love, so much love he's surprised it's not leaking out of him and settling between the grass. 

Tony's bedroom is seconds away but there's something beautiful about them undressing each other among the flowers that Tony loves, in the place where the two of them first met. 

Tony fingers himself right there, with summoned lube on his fingers and straddled on Stephens lap. He's aching watching him but still doesn't hurry, instead watches his lips as occasional sounds tumble out of them, and touches his skin, remembering the feel of every bone and muscle underneath.

Tony rides him. Their mouths slip against each other, both open and unmoving, focused on the pleasure. 

They hold each other and still take it slow. It reminds him of two instruments, harmonised in one mesmerising, floating tune, taken away by the breeze. 

Stephen marks Tony's neck. Tony's hand tugs at his hair. He starts grinding up into him. He lets out soft, quiet moans. They keep a rhythm until the edge comes close, then they hitch in his throat.

"What if there's a lady bug in my ass?" Tony says asks after a few minutes if them laying together, just enjoying the moments, the details, like the beat of his heart or a passing butterfly. 

He laughs. "It's pretty lucky" 

He grunts and rolls away from his spot up against him. "I need sleep"

"Is that an activity I can join you in?" He pays close attention to Tony's ass when he gets up and stretches. 

"Not this time" he offers a hand and pulls Stephen up into a dizzying kiss before he can feel like he's done something wrong. 

"The sanctum needs you Dr Strange" 

"Hey Tony I…"

I love you.

He wants to say it. 

"I've never been happier" 

He can't say it, the words accumulate in his throat. But the alternative is still the truth. He's full and the thing he's full with is so bright he wonders how long he can contain it within. 

"Neither have I" he gets one last kiss before he's watching the door before him click shut.

He picks up his clothes, magics into the blue robes, and portals from Kamar Taj to New York.

It's dark outside and one of the lights is on down the left hall. He and the sanctum have developed a strange telepathic communication and when he asks it who is within its walls it says nothing back, only urges him to seek. 

He seeks, taking slow soundless steps, dropping his clothes and creating a blade. The sanctum isn't warning of danger so he knows it's probably fine but risks aren't to be taken. He's done being irresponsible. 

The door to the study is half open and from there warm light floods into a cold corridor. He waits at the frame for a moment and then bursts in, weapon poised. 

There's a man sitting in the corner armchair. He's wearing a charcoal suit, silver tie and a green waistcoat, all expensively tailored. He's handsome, with dark curly hair and hazel eyes. 

He crosses his legs and smiles at him in a way he's not sure is friendly. "Hello Stephen"

"Who the hell are you?" He thinks he already knows. The voice nudges at his recent memories. 

"Peppers been taken"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoulda called this chapter how much sex can you cram in a few thousand words


	10. Nightmare Vol. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Doctors embark to rescue Pepper. Only one returns.

"Taken? What do you mean? I was with her just an hour ago" he lowers the blade but doesn't vanish it.

"Nightmare took her"

His heart drops. "The Nightmare? We have to call Tony" he's read about him. He's one of the greatest evils to ever live. He pales to think about what he's going to do with Pepper. 

The man shakes his head, that same dubious smile on his lips. "You're so new. It's cute."

He bites down an insult. "You're Doom aren't you?" 

"Bingo" he says in a bored manner. 

"What does Nightmare want with Pepper?" 

He drops his chin in his palm. "Nothing. He wants Tony to go save her" 

"So that he can get his hands on the stone"

"So you aren't all stupid"

He gets why Tony seems so sick of him. 

Collapsing the blade into nothing, he crosses his arms. "So if we can't tell Tony what do we do?"

"We go get her without him" he stands, waltzing past Stephen and toward the door with his hands in his pockets. 

"This is Nightmare World were talking about. With Nightmare" they're dead men, stepping onto his turf. Tony's the most powerful person he knows and based on what the books say about Nightmare he might not even be enough, let alone the two of them. 

"I will go with or without you" he says, voice level. 

"What's in it for you?" Dr Doom, he doesn't know whether he's a friendly or in between, he doesn't know if he and Pepper have even met, all he knows is that he pays enough attention to know Tony's unsafe, to know Peppers gone. 

Tony isn't safe. Happiness took that fear away from him but now he remembers. 

"I've turned over a new leaf. I'm a hero now" he smirks. 

"You're full of shit" 

He leans on the doorframe and those hazel eyes are piercing. "Are you going to help me or not?" 

"Hold on" 

He leaves a note for Tony, some bullshit lie about Christine dragging him to a several day long Doctors retreat where nobody uses their phones, then he grabs the cloak and joins Doom in the lobby. 

It only occurs to him that he's a Sorcerer when he snaps his fingers and in a puff of pink smoke they're outside a ruined castle, somewhere colder with a colorless sky. 

"What is this?" 

"My former home"

He can hear yells in the distance, a foreign language, something sounding eastern European.

"Were you a king or something?" He asks, stepping over debris as he follows him into the castle. 

"I ruled Latveria. I don't now" they reach wide steps leading into a dark interior. Stephen proceeds with caution. 

"Right. You still haven't told me why you're doing this" his voice starts to echo the further they descend. 

"If anything happens to Miss Potts Tony's reaction won't be pleasant"

"And?"

"That would be unpleasant" 

"Anyone ever told you you're annoying as shit?" 

"Tony has" he smiles, less strangely.

"What is it with you two? He seems like he hates you but then does stuff you ask him to do" 

"We've known each other for a very long time," he says, as if that's any kind of explanation.

There's nothing in the room they reach, just destruction. It looks like it used to be a lab. 

Doom leads them to a side passage and it gets so dark all he can see is the brick wall glowing green under the doctor's fingers. Then it parts, revealing a narrow set of stairs.

"Six years. We met at this very castle three years ago when I told him about my plans to change"

"So you used to be a villain?" He assumes. He has the look and a castle to back it up. 

"Yes. Though I think nobody is ever not a villain."

He considers that, he considers Tony's past as a weapons dealer, he considers his own past as a man claiming to save lives but turning away desperate cases because he was too much of a proud coward to risk his record. 

The narrow steps open up to a well lit room. It's lined with four cryo tubes filled with a glowing blue substance, all joined by a pink power source in the centre of the room. He starts when he sees Pepper in one of the tubes, suspended within with a peaceful expression. 

He doesn't feel the same.

"She's here"

"Yes" 

He approaches Doom slowly. He doesn't move, looking curious. "You tricked me"

He switches to glare at him like he's an idiot. "What has Tony been teaching you? Pilates? He pushed her astral form out of her to take her to his dimension. I found her body in Stark Tower" 

He is an idiot. The thought hadn't crossed his mind.

Doom chuckles, nearing the power source. "You're just trying to find any excuse for me to be the bad guy"

He clenches his jaw. "No I'm simply not trusting"

"Well Tony trusts me with his life. Follow by example" he throws out, pulling up a hologram panel and pressing buttons. 

That makes him furious. "How could you know that?"

"He's saved it more than once. And I've saved him more than once." 

The anger washes down and it's replaced by an emptiness he hasn't felt in a while. He and Tony have that trust too but they don't have the time, they don't have the six years, or even three. 

Doom glances at him and he must be betraying something in his expression by the way he smirks. "I take it you two are exclusive"

"I am the boyfriend yes" he straightens, trying to gain some lost control over the situation. 

"Isn't Tony a bit old for boyfriends?" He's still smirking and Stephen hates it. He hates the way he speaks his name like he knows him better than anybody else.

"We thought lovers was too Shakespeare" he clips back. 

"Really? But he loves Shakespeare. That drama Queen" he scoffs, smiling to himself. 

The compulsion to choke him to death flashes in him like a searing heat. It's gone as quickly as it comes. Doom does know Tony better than he does and he gets the impression that it's being rubbed in his face. 

"Stephen are you afraid of anything?" He turns a dial and selects something. It turns green.

"What kind of question is that?"

"I'm not trying to break down your great wall of masculinity I'm simply warning you that what you will see in that dimension is your darkest fears and you won't be the same when you return"

What is he afraid of? Driving. He can't look at a wheel without feeling nauseous. Nothing else comes to mind. 

Two pods open next to Peppers in a hissing release of air. 

"Oh or you may not return at all"

"Is that supposed to scare me?" It does scare him, not out of fear of death, he knows it well, but out of fear of never seeing Tony again. Never touching his skin or smelling his scent, never seeing his big eyes shine.

"It's your last opportunity to walk away"

He watches Peppers body, empty of a bright soul and floating in wait to be filled again. "No. Let's do it"

"These pods will preserve us while we project. There will be no need to return to our bodies routinely. They also stabilise the use of sorcery" he explains as they approach them. Clearly the blue stuff isn't conventional liquid, holding its form even though the pods are open. 

"Did you design them?" 

"Sure did." He pats the glass like the 7 foot tube is a dog not an invention. 

He watches the blue solution shift like its excited to be occupied. "If we don't make it back…"

"I've planned for it. Tony will be notified" 

He almost steps back from the pod. The thought of never seeing Tony again terrifies him. That's his fear. "Why are you risking your life for this?" Maybe if he knows why it'll help him take that one step into hell.

"Why are you?" 

"Because Pepper is important to Tony"

He smiles. "I'll see you on the other side Strange" 

Stephen watches him slip into the blue sludge and finds he has more questions not less.

But he does know that Pepper needs to live, so he climbs in. The solutions cold, and it feels like what he can only describe as wet clouds. The pod closes and he watches Doom in the next one, eyes closed and limbs calm. 

He surrenders to it too, floating weightless and breathing in cold. Then he projects. 

A lot of things are suddenly different. A dead person could be heard in the silence, even the air is still, like the particles are frozen in place. 

There's a blue thing around his feet, a trace of the cryo solution, but the ground is absolutely black as coal. Yet green smoke permeates from it, rising half way up to his knees. 

The sky isn't blue or green or black, it's salmon pink. And instead of clouds it has these connected round shapes floating above that remind him a lot of synapses.

"That's where the dreams are kept" Doom comments, looking up with him. 

He drops his gaze to the distance. Its everlasting green smoke and vague shapes. "How do we know the way?" 

"He'll find us. Let's walk"

The smoke is strange, makes walking feel like he's ankle deep in sand. "Maybe we should have prepared more for this"

"If it's any consolation I'm immensely more powerful than you"

He switches to floating with the cloak, walking will only tire him out in five minutes. 

"Yes I feel great now. Realistically, could you defeat him?"

"If it was a simple fight of power yes. But he's omni everything in his own realm and he can destroy your mind from the inside out" 

"That's good. Really good."

They move in silence for a while. "The first time I came here was with Tony actually."

"What for?" 

"We were looking for a relic Nightmare stole"

"And? Were your minds destroyed?" It feels stupid saying that out loud but Dooms face is very serious, haunted even. 

"I wouldn't wish coming here on my worst enemy"

"That bad?" 

They pass a shape, it looks like a scarecrow made of black stone, immortalised appearing like it's about to bite their heads off. 

"So… why does Tony speak so ill of you?" 

He shoves his hands in the pockets of his slacks. "It's always been our relationship. It got worse after I started seeing his girlfriend"

He frowns. "Like she was cheating on him with you?"

"Like she left him for me" 

"That hurts. Are you two still together?" He can't imagine why anyone would switch Tony for somebody else.

"No we were only together for four months. She's beautiful and smart enough for the likes of us but I don't have interest in an act as mundane as dating"

He stops floating, landing his feet heavy on the ground. "I feel like I know where this is going. I feel like you charmed her away from him and ruined them both"

He doesn't react. It’s answer enough. 

"You're disgusting. Did you enjoy it? Taking her away from him"

"I did at first. Then he didn't speak to me for six months and I realised I still have lessons to learn" he says to the floor. 

"You better not bat your lashes at me. I'll kick your teeth out" he grumbles. 

"Get over yourself. You're not my type" 

"Good. I'd hate to know I attract assholes" 

It was all ground before. Suddenly there's a ledge and he's falling. 

There's a car falling after him. Black Lamborghini, same number plate. 

"Doom!" He screams, mindlessly hoping to be saved. The cloak isn’t with him.

He hits ground and feels it, feels the insides of his body almost bounce out of place. He wants to puke. 

The nose of the car zooms toward him and when it crushes his chest everything goes black.

"Stephen! It's not real"

He gasps, clawing at his chest, still feeling his ribcage puncture his lungs. He isn't underneath a car though, he's on the floor and Dooms shaking his shoulders violently, searching his eyes. 

"It feels- I feel it" He chokes. He can feel the pain in his skull, in his chest cavity, he can feel the displacement inside him. 

"He's preparing us. Or should I say breaking us down, so we're weak when he shows his face"

"Coward" He spits. Surprisingly blood doesn't come out of his mouth. Somehow he can taste it. 

As he stands a blue light shines in the pink sky. He recognises it and almost gags. 

Tony lands in front of them in a beam of blue, one knee and one hand on the floor. The ground rattles a little. It's not real. It's not. Except when he looks to the side he realises Doom can see him too.

"Are you two fucking serious? You thought you could come on this suicide mission and not tell me about it" he growls, striding up to them with clenched fists. 

"You're not real" Doom doesn't seem convinced. He's frozen, wide eyed. 

"You wish I wasn't you…" he dissolves into a groan and grabs him by the tie, "this is dangerous"

"Yes" He says in an exhale. 

"And you, what was that note? Butterflies lie better than you"

"Nightmare wants you. We're protecting-"

He takes a few steps back and his eyes soften. "I don't need protecting. I can't lose you both"

Two things happen, Tony's eyes go wide and a thick black spike bursts out of his stomach. 

Stephen recoils, then his heart starts collapsing as he watches the life fickle away from Tony's eyes, blood cascade from his lips. 

He slumps over and that's it. He's dead. 

He's dead.

He can barely hear himself screaming.

God knows how long he's on his knees running his throat raw but he's pulled up by the collar and Doom smacks him in the face.

"Get it the fuck together. It's not real" he grits out. He has tears staining his cheeks though. 

"Who's the coward now Dr Strange?"

The voice makes his whole spine shake at how unsettling it is. He looks up and there's a man standing next to Tony's lifeless body, resting a hand on his shoulder. His nails are long and decayed, his skin a sickly green. 

"Where's Pepper?" Doom asks, standing strong even though his hands are shaking. 

"I have her. But you didn't bring this" he grabs Tony by the neck. The spike retracts and he tosses his body at their feet. The blood pools around Stephens shoes and he feels so sick he almost faints. 

"And we don't plan to"

"Then Pepper stays with me" he smiles, showing off thick sharp teeth. The floor opens and Pepper emerges, strapped by black matter around her wrists and ankles, over her mouth. It's like a parasite. She's not conscious and her shirts ripped roughly across her chest and at her side. 

The books describe Nightmare isn't only evil for his violence. He sees small marks on one of her breasts and it's enough to burn his throat. 

Doom strikes, covering Pepper in a pink dome and firing a blinding energy beam at Nightmare. He absorbs into the floor. 

"Stephen push Peppers astral form back!" Doom yells, preparing for the next attack. 

He tries to get close to her but then he's nose to nose with Nightmare. His eyes are all white and his breath smells like blood. 

He raises a shield just in time to block a grab at him and darts back with the help of the cloak.

Doom tackles him to the ground and covers his green face with a hand. Pink light glows out of it and there's a lot of screaming. 

Stephen doesn't wait around, dashing for Pepper and feeling the black sludge for any give. His fingers only slip against it. 

A hand covers his throat and suddenly there's red hot pain. He staggers away and feels the skin there shredded and gashed, not deep enough to kill but more than enough to hurt.

Doom distracts him again and regardless of the blood staining his collar or the flashes of power behind him the focus on Pepper stays. He can't push her back when she's still anchored to this world. 

He props a hand on the black matter to reorganise his thoughts. It starts crawling up his fingers, consuming his palm. He would recoile if he hadn't noticed the more it clings to him the less it does to Pepper. That's a plan.

Once the thing has swallowed up to his shoulder the cover on Peppers mouth is gone and her eyes flutter open. 

"Stephen? Stephen there's a man and he-"

He smiles, doubting its assuring through the sting on his neck. "We got it"

She notices the gunk rolling over his chest. It's cold. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting this thing off you" one of Peppers arms falls free and it makes it all better. She's going to be fine.

"Its trapping you" she breathes, both arms now free while it wraps around his waist. 

"Yea I know a spell or two that might work" 

They might not. This might be it. 

Doom comes over, a cut enthusiastically bleeds on his cheekbone. On inspection Stephen finds Nightmare is nowhere to be found.

"Did you kill him?"

"Of course not. He disappeared. What are you…" he stops when he sees it's freeing Pepper. 

"The second she's free get her out of here" just half a leg, that's all. It pools at his neck and runs down his other shoulder. 

As soon as Doom has Pepper in his hold, free of the restraints, Stephen concentrates on the spell. It makes his body glow, a simple pull of dimensional energy with him at its core. As he thought it causes the solution to start splitting as it loses its hold.

The doctor sends Pepper away in a beacon of blue light but stays himself, watching him struggle to break free of the quicksand. 

He's so close when a giant black hand emerges from below and crushes him in its grip. 

"Strange!"

"Leave! We can't both die here!" One of the fingers drapes over his face. He can feel himself sinking. Black cool disgusting matter leaks into his mouth. He can't speak.

There’s nothing after that.


	11. Nightmare Vol.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's done enough fine dining to know Stephens absence smells like a seafood platter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something a little different ;)

If Tony's good at anything it's math. And something most definitely doesn't add up.

He frowns at the note written on the back of a receipt in jagged front that could only be Stephens. A doctor's retreat. A doctor's retreat when he no longer works as one, would hate to face people who ask him what his life is now and has a duty to protect the Sanctum. 

When he teleports from room to room and finds no trace of the cloak the lie collapses on its weak foundations.

Stephen obviously had to go somewhere with such short notice he couldn't think of a convincing cover. Somewhere where a relic is used and accepted. Somewhere dangerous if the lack of honesty is any indication. 

"Jarvis what do you think?" He asks his floating friend, putting the note back on the kitchen counter. 

"I have no data suggesting where he is but on scanning the building there are traces of a mystical energy we have encountered very often"

He pounds his fist on the counter without really thinking about it. "Fucking Victor"

The thought of that man getting near Stephen makes his skin hot not in a good way. He already ruined him and Amara and it's not going to happen again. With Stephen he has too much too lose. 

"Sir Miss Potts is standing outside in the rain pondering whether she should knock" 

He frowns, following him out of the room and into the vast lobby. "Why is she here?"

"Shockingly I don't know everything" he replies dryly. Enchanting Jarvis into a sentient being gave him a personality and while he won't admit it, he loves it. 

He commands the door to open and Pepper freezes, staring at him like she's been caught mid crime. She's soaked, holding herself as if it'll help at all. 

"Pep come in" 

She does so, standing quietly before him. Her hair drips onto the floor. Her hands ball into fists. 

He's always known Pepper to be strong, the strongest there is. He's never seen her like this, vulnerable and shrunken.

"What happened?" He casts a blanket into their dimension and slips it over her shoulders, leading her further into the sanctum. 

"I'm not supposed to tell you but it's- Its not fair" her lip trembles. It's serious. He benches the Stephen issue for later. 

"What are you not supposed to tell me?"

"This man was in my room when I got back from Detroit. His name is Nightmare" she whispers. 

In his head it's a scream. Nightmare echoes in his skull. "Shit. Are you okay?"

She collapses onto a step, wrapping the blanket as tightly around her as it can go. She keeps her eyes trained on her feet. "He did things to me- I- I don't want to"

His nails dig into his palms and he can't feel it over the white hot rage filling his heart. 

"You don't have to say right now. Whatever it is I'll kill him anyway" he stands, ready to stride into Nightmare World and rip the creatures spine out through his mouth. 

She looks up, her eyes remind him of broken glass. "He has Stephen" 

He hears his heart tear. 

"Jarvis call Happy and tell him to come here and look after Pepper. We have somewhere to go" 

"Victor said he would go on his own, that I can't tell you. I didn't listen because, well, I don't think he should do that" she says feebly. Peppers never sounded feeble. He doesn't like killing but he's sure murdering Nightmare would make his heart sing. 

He runs a hand down Peppers wavy hair. "Are you going to be okay waiting for Happy? The Sanctum won't let Nightmare or anyone else unwanted in" 

She smiles, it's completely watery. "Yea you go get your man" 

Spending far too much time with Doom has its perks. He knows where to portal to without a second thought.

He's hunched over the power core in the pod room, spinning a hologram map around in frustration. His hairs more tousled than it's usual immaculate form. He has the audacity to look surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"You need me" 

"No this is too close to home. You'll do something stupidly heroic" 

"That's up to me not you" 

His brows draw together and he holds on to the edge of the core to look at him pleadingly. It's not something he's ever seen from him. "Tony please let me go alone"

"No"

The blast from Doom catches him by surprise and in haste he casts a shield. 

He's not playing around. Tony's shoes are scraping against the stone floor as the blast pushes him back. 

He twists out of the way of the beam and sprints, vaulting over the core and knocking Victor down. He holds him to the floor with a knee in the centre of his chest.

"You need me." 

Victor shoves him and turns them around, slamming him into the floor and holding him down by the shoulders. "Don't you get it!? Nightmare wants this,'' he pushes a finger onto the stone. "If you go you're not coming back" 

"And who says you are? Have you stopped to think about how id feel if I find out you died and I wasn't there to stop it?"

He looks surprised and removes his grip as he absorbs the words. "I didn't…" 

He sighs, dragging a hand down his face. "Look, I can't lose Stephen. He's…"

Victor quirks a brow. "Important enough that you'd die for him?"

He doesn't have to think about it. "Yes" 

He could say that it's because Stephens destined to be the next Sorcerer Supreme, that they knew he would come to Kamar Taj years before he himself did, that he's going to save the world from many future threats.

He could just admit that he loves him. 

Victor looks hurt, standing up and turning back to the map. 

"But I won't die. We're the most powerful sorcerers alive. We can do anything" 

He waits for Victor to say they can't. Because it's bullshit, what he's saying, but for now they'll have to believe it.

"I'm trying to pinpoint the coordinates of where we left him" he points at the map. 

"And?" He focuses on it, crossing his arms.

"He was absorbed into the ground. He could be anywhere" he sighs, shrugging off his blazer and tossing it on a nearby surface. 

"Do you have the last known location?"

"Yea" he taps an area of the map and a blue marker bobs there. 

"Then we go there. Nightmare will find us"

"He's only going to exchange Stephen for you. You know that right?" Hazel eyes watch him cautiously. 

"Yep." He takes over, inputting the location and their destination. He does it all easily, its his software after all. They worked on the projection system together. 

"I really don't want you to come" the sad look in Dooms eyes makes it hard to be reassuring but however they look at it he's still coming. There's no question. 

"C'mon. I'll buy you dinner when we get back" he leads him to the pods with an arm around his shoulders. 

"I want a ten foot lobster" 

"Of course my King" 

When they arrive in Nightmare World Tony's geared and ready to kill or be killed but Victor doesn't move. He stares at him like he's seeing his worst fear.   
They've never hugged in the years they've known each other so he's not sure why he's inclined to do it now. Victor relaxes only a fraction in his arms. 

"We're going to be okay" they are. Everything is going to be fine. They're going to be fine. 

They start walking and Tony's sure to put space between them in case Victor decides to push him back into his body in a panic. And he does look panicked, glancing around at every shift of smoke. 

"So, let me figure this out, Nightmare took Pepper because he knew I'd come for her and you knew that too so you went to Stephen instead. Then he gave up his freedom for hers?" 

"Spot on as always" 

"Did you two get along at all?" He asks, squinting into the distance. 

"He's very naïve and extremely amateur. It's annoying" 

He has to laugh, it's the expected answer. "He only has like four months under his belt. Cut him some slack" 

"I don't see the whole Sorcerer Supreme thing for him" 

"I'm keeping the seat warm until he's worthy of it don't worry"

"He's selfless though. I see why you like him" 

He only closes his eyes for a moment. On opening them he's standing in front of a big greenhouse. 

It's not real. He walks inside anyway. 

It's packed with plants, all such a healthy green. The path between them is narrow and he walks up it until it opens up to a circle. There's a stone bench in the middle and Stephens sat there in a black suit trimming the thorns off a blue rose. 

"You found me" He says when Tony comes closer, smiling. He lights up a room when he does it. But it isn't him.

"No I didn't. You're not real" 

"Flowers die so easily. Like humans" he puts the rose down and picks up another. He knows Nightmare is speaking through the mirage and it makes him seethe. "You don't die so easily though. It's a good thing there are other ways to kill you" he tosses the rose on the floor and crushes it under his shoe. 

Then, a smile. "Thank you for coming. I thought nobody was going to turn up to my funeral"

He's frozen. It's not real but Nightmare knows how to make it feel like it is.

There's no sun in Nightmare World but orange light shines on his angular face anyway, making his eyes look green. He's so beautiful it hurts to look at him.

Then he lurches forward and starts coughing. Out of his mouth float rose petals. Red not blue. And he keeps coughing, getting progressively worse. Tony's heart squeezed as he stares at the crimson petals gathering on the floor. 

Dream Stephen flops back against the bench and his eyes are half lidded. Blood drips from his mouth. "You could have saved me" 

It's the same. The same thing Steve said in the vision Wanda gave him back when he helped the Avengers defeat Hank Pyms murder bot. 

But with Stephen in front of him, when he stops breathing in a stutter and his eyes become empty of life it's so much worse. 

The greenhouse explodes. Glass bursts everywhere and Stephens body's lost beneath falling plants.

His ears are still ringing when the nightmares over. He can still see Stephens red lips and dead eyes when he blinks. 

He's on the ground and Nightmare is leaning over him, his fangs almost glow. His heart lurches but he doesn't betray anything in his expression, keeping still and calm. 

"This was too easy"

He looks over at Doom. He's on the floor too. It looks like he's looking straight at him but his eyes are completely white, what happens when you're forced under in the Dream dimension. Seeing someone else in it is almost as scary as experiencing it yourself. He looks terrified, despaired, desperate, nothing he would ever associate with Victor. But even he has a fear that can cripple him. 

"Where's Stephen?" 

He tilts his head. "Your human is interesting, very stubborn, tried to get me to kill him because you'd 'never come'" 

Fuck. He would go that far just not to let anything happen to him.

He would have done the same. Logically, despite what he told Doom, the three of them know that only two people are leaving this place. 

Regardless he as to try, for that sliver of possibility that the number is three. 

Nightmare drops to a kneel, landing it between his legs. "Of course I'm no fool. With him I have you wrapped around all my fingers."

"And you're going to let him go"

"He's very angular, striking bone structure. I like my pray softer though" His fingers are stone cold where they hold his jaw. 

He goes to punch him in the face but the ground has his wrists bound to it. So when Nightmare tilts his head to bear his neck he spits in his face. 

He wipes his cheek and smiles at the spit on his fingers. "Hm. I could kill your doctor in the blink of an eye yet you resist."

"You just said you wouldn't kill him. I can do whatever the fuck I want" He grits out. Even if he has to go down he's taking him with him. After all he's done he's going to know how it feels to beg to live. 

He grins. "I like you" 

This time he pulls his head back by the hair and he can't spit so he focuses on taking deep breaths as sharp teeth break his skin.

Nightmares power comes from the dreaming but his food comes from fear. He's not going to give him the satisfaction. The bastard can starve. 

The pink flash blinds him momentarily but soon he can see that Victors broken out of his nightmare and has blasted Nightmare himself clean off him. 

The creature stands and touches his hand to his side. The rotten cloth of his clothes soaks black with whatever the fuck pumps inside him. 

"I've had enough you, sick monster" his voice echoes around them. Then he teleports to Nightmare in a puff of pink and grabs him by the face. Tony's seen him do it to expel demons. 

It's too bright for him to see what's happening but there's a lot of shrieking. Until everything stops and the light clears to show Nightmares stabbed Victor straight through the shoulder. 

The black blade his arm has become draws out and he doesn't wait to see it plunge somewhere else, he acts. Knowing Victor will never forgive him but knowing he can't let the man's soul be broken forever he runs at him and drives the heel of his hand into his chest. 

He fades away slow enough to show complete betrayal on his features. It's easier to bear than his death. 

A hand wraps around his throat and holds tight. Nightmares eyes are streaming black blood. "Now it's just me and you" 

"I'll make you wish it wasn't" he pulls two katanas right out of his chest and plunges them at him. Nightmare pushes off the ground to float and Tony activates the next level of his power to do the same.

There's a back and forth of blades and blasts and flying around. Soon he's bored of it and pushes the stone further. He starts to glow with energy from fingers to toes and feels the fresh buzz of power in his veins. 

"You're really selling the stone to me Tony. I can't wait to have it"

He lets him have it, punches him in the teeth. He catapults back and hits the ground so hard he bounces. He only has time to spit two fangs out before Tony's there to knee him in the chest and grab him by the collar to toss him into a tall stone protruding from the ground. It breaks into four pieces. 

He summons a bow and pulls an arrow back in it. It'll go straight through him and hopefully do damage he won't come back from. 

The second he lets the arrow go a figure emerges from the ground in a blob of black substance. It's Stephen. Right in the line of fire. 

He pushes his power further to teleport in front of him. The arrow lodges in his back and he hisses through the pain, grabbing onto Stpehens shoulders for support. 

His eyes flutter open. He looks so lost. "Tony?" 

"Hey" his body burns when he lifts his arm to touch Stephens cheek. He's going to get him safe even if it kills him. 

It's only thanks to how captured he is by the man's crystal eyes that he sees a figure emerges behind him in the reflection of them. 

He yanks the arrow out of his back and spins to lodge it in Nightmares chest. He stares at the glowing weapon in shock, stumbling back. 

It's his chance to send Stephen back to their dimension. The minute he turns though the doctor's eyes go wide and he hears the round of the arrow going through his stomach before he looks down to see it sticking out of him.

Nightmare yanks him to the floor by the hood and it only pushes the arrow further through him. He lets himself yell because he'd be lying if he said it didn't hurt like a bitch. 

"Tony please you can't stay here!" 

He ignores Stephen, rolling over to kick Nightmare in the nose and get some space to grab the arrow and will it to disappear. He can feel the pain ebbing away as he heals. 

Nightmare pounces and has him on the floor by the neck, being much more unforgiving with is grip than before. 

He dramaticizes how much he's choking so the monster won't notice him construct a gun in his hand and shoot him clean in the forehead. 

He falls limp and it's enough time for Tony to turn them over and grab him by the face the way Victor did. He can't expel demons but he knows that if he overloads the output of the stone it's building ability becomes destruction.

So he pushes more and more of the stones energy out through his hand, until he's glowing so much he's completely blue, until the sky around them lights up, until a strong wind assaults them, until he can smell burning, until he can't see through the glow of his own eyes, until the floor around them cracks loudly. 

He feels the face under his palm melt to liquid and pulls all the energy back in, knowing he hasn't defeated Nightmare, knowing he's lurking under his feet, ready to catch him by surprise. 

He's pretty shocked when Stephen starts screaming like his insides are being torn open. His body goes rigid in the hold of black gundge and his wide eyes go black.

Then they turn obsidian black and he relaxes. Except it's not him that relaxes. 

"What will you do now huh? You kill me and your human goes down too" the smile is on Stephens lips but he doesn't smile like that, his smiles goofy and his eyes shine, this is a puppet smile. 

He knows a spell or two about removing demonic possession and attempts the one without requirement for resources. It's simple, press his thumbs into Stephens chest and turn them in a quarter circle. 

The scream that comes out sounds like the two of them at once, sharing a station. He can see the black soul and the regular one if he concentrates and realises with horror that the more he separates Nightmare the more he tears Stephens soul. He has a vice grip. 

He stops and steps back. As it stands there are three options; wait for Doom to exorcise him, give Nightmare what he wants or leave empty handed.

Two people are returning home. Two people will return home. The fallout is something he'll have to deal with.

"Send him back and I'm yours"

"That's what I like to hear" 

Black ground swallows his feet and he watches as Nightmare climbs out of Stephen. It's disgusting but when his eyes are back to normal he feels like he can breathe again. 

Stephens features erupt with panic as soon as he has control over them. "Tony don't! Please!" 

"Keep my seat warm while I'm here yea? And tell Victor I'm sorry" He smiles as Stephen, beautiful Stephen who he'd die for again and again.

"No! Tell him yourself" he struggles against his shifting prison. It's leaking off of Stephen to wrap around his legs and snake up to his arms. 

"Yinsen… He told me, 'don't waste your life' and that changed me forever. So I'm telling you this; don't waste your life" 

If this is the end of the line it's okay. He hasn't wasted his life. He's done good with the Masters of The Mystic arts, he's gotten to meet Stephen, and love him, and he will continue on with good people around him. 

He still cries though, because they didn't have enough time. 

Eventually Stephens completely free and he hangs on to him, searching his eyes so desperately it rips him to pieces. "Why do they sound like your last words?" 

"I-"

"Because they are" Nightmare grabs Stephen by the cloak and shoves him in the chest. He's yelling as he disappears.

He's safe now. He's safe but Tony doesn't stop crying, biting his lip through it. Because now he's trapped and he didn't get to tell him he loves him. 

"Just me and you, like I've always wanted" Nightmare grins, coming closer. 

He pulls against his binds but they don't give. It's not fair. It's not.

He directs all his power to the stone and blasts Nightmare. It leaves a charred hole where his heart would be if he were human.

But he continues as he is, because he's a monster. 

When he grabs onto the stone, sinking his nails into the scarred skin, and yanks, he can't hear his own heart beat over his screaming.


	12. Nightmare Vol. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saving Tony is the easy part, it's what comes after that breaks them all.

The pod opens and Stephen falls out of it, barely catching himself on hands and knees. He stares past the metal flooring beneath him, past it all. 

He has to go back. 

Twisting on his knees puts Doom in view. He's slumped by his pod, clutching his shoulder. He looks like he's lost days of sleep.

"He didn't" He says in a voice so small the wind could break it. 

Stephen has nothing to reply. They both know. 

"Fuck" 

"We have to go back" he insists, scooting until he's sitting half in the pod. Every second that passes builds his anxiety. 

Tony's pod is on his left. His body's held, peaceful, but god knows what's happening to his soul. 

"Yea, I am. You're not going anywhere" Doom groans, using the glass of the pod to push himself up until he's standing and going over to the control core with dragging steps. He stares at it without doing anything. 

"You're funny. I'm coming" when he stands he feels light headed. 

Its quiet for a moment. Then very loud when Doom flips the metal table next to him. The things on it splash everywhere in a cacophony of clanging. 

"Don't you get it!? He's stuck there because of you!" He yells, almost roars.

Stephen keeps level, takes a deep breath. This is serious, he can't be hot headed. "All the more reason I should help get him out"

Doom drops his head in his hands and muffles a long groan in them. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have come to you. I didn't realise your connection was this strong in the beginning."

He seizes Doom by the shoulders and meets his eyes. They can't fall apart now. "Doom. Victor. We're sorcerers, good ones. We can do this"

He pauses for a moment. "We can. But how?"

Stephen withdraws and scratches his brow. "Did you get close to killing him at any point?"

"Yes I did but he stabbed me" when he rolls his shoulder it ties in.

"I'll be there to hold him back," he offers, trying to smile to raise the fog in the room. He's sinking, sinking, sinking more and more with every second Tony's gone, but they need motivation to get him back. And they will. 

"It's no use, not in his realm, he can control anything" 

"Is there any way to draw him out?"

"Not now that he has Tony" 

"Okay what about destroying it?" 

A dark brow raises high. "Are you insane?" 

"You're telling me your powers can't level a city?"

"A city and a world within a realm are different"

He sighs. "We need another brain on this. I'll call Wong"

"Tell him to go to the Avengers Compound" 

_______

Dr Bruce Banner isn't very happy to be woken at 4am in the morning, slugging around in lose socks, shorts and a top making coffee. Wong isn't happy either, more likely because of the mess this has become. 

"So The Mechanics trapped in another dimension by an undead creature that wants the powerful stone in his chest?" He repeats, puzzling over it. He tousles his already wild hair further, blinking slowly. "This really isn't my area"

"T- The Mechanic always goes on about how much your thinking will change the future, I figured it wouldn't hurt to get you in this"

He's quiet, drinking from his steaming mug. "So how are you thinking to get around this?" 

"Our obstacle is that he's on his turf. We need to remove that somehow" Stephen explains, keeping his bouncing leg contained. There's a clock on the wall and it's so loud, reminding them by the second that Tony's suffering alone.

"Can't you open a portal under his feet to get him away?"

"Unfortunately no" says Wong.

"Well th- wait Dr Strange don't you have like an infinity stone? Can't they do anything?" 

"Only if you have all six" Doom comments.

"Bruce you may be onto something with the stones" it seems like he's the only one that didn't notice Thor until now. He's sat in the common area the kitchen is attached to and gets up to walk over. 

"I mean, we do have one" Doom says, leaning over the counter in deep thought.

It's a good point. He just wonders what a creature like Nightmare, beyond time, will be affected by their stone. 

"Strange you are the stone keeper. You must be able to locate it easily" Thor leans on the counter, fixing him with blue eyes. 

"Well yea. So?" 

"Every dimension has its own singularities"

"Are you suggesting Stephen uses the time stone in the Dream dimension?" Doom asks. 

Thor opens his mouth to interject but Wong beats him to it. "No he's suggesting Stephen remove the time stone entirely"

"No we can't do that, it'll break the time continuum in the dimension and god knows what'll happen to Tony"

Dr Banner frowns. "Who's Tony?" 

Victor rolls his eyes. "The Mechanic. That's his name"

He couldn't care less that he's revealed it, not now. 

"Oh. Okay. Well what about the other stones?"

Victor stands up. "The space stone. Remove that and location is a myth. He can't be strong in a realm that technically doesn't exist."

"But how would you find him in that case?" Wong puzzles. 

Doom waves a hand. "That's not an issue. The eye is easy enough to locate if Stephen and I do it together" 

Stephen stands, ready to portal back to Doom's castle. "Okay that's the plan then"

"Sit down smart guy we don't know where to find the stones" he glares when Doom pushes him back into the stool by his shoulder. 

"That dimension has six feathers on a dream catcher as it's singularities. The blue one is space" Wong rattles off. 

"Haven't you been listening? If I locate the time, um, feather the others should be with it" he explains to Doom. 

"Okay you're right. Looks like we're ready" 

______

They go back, only not to Nightmare World but the centre of the Dream dimension, where the dreams are kept inside clouds and the sky is an endless wash of pink and yellow and blue. It's stunning, not that he can really enjoy it. 

He doesn't struggle at all locating the Dream catcher, not with how much it hurts to leave Tony and how much he needs him back. It's almost comical how easy it is for them to get to it. It's in a bubble at the very highest point of the dimension, way above all the clouds and dreams. His fingers go through it easily and he waits for something to kill them when he unhooks the blue feather but nothing comes.

"Stephen" Doom murmurs, staring at the dreamcatcher with its missing feather.

"Yea?"

"If we use the reality feather we can just will Nightmare to not exist" he reaches for the bubble but his hand doesn't go through, just rests on its surface. 

"Are you sure?" He's sure that the one thing it can't do is erase sentient beings completely.

"It works above the laws of physics. I could change them so anything could kill him; air, breathing, his own blood" 

He doesn't ask anymore questions, plucking the red feather and handing it to him. He cradles it in his hands and closes his eyes. It glows and Stephen thinks he can hear a bird somewhere on the horizon. 

"So?"

"I think it worked. I felt it"

"Only one way to find out" there's no use for the space feather anymore so he puts it back, completing the set. "You said we can find the eye" 

"Yes. Give me your hand" he feels weird about it but there isn't time to lose. "You need to channel whichever method you use to locate the infinity stone and I'll channel the signature of Tony's eye. Together they should point us to him." 

He can feel something pushing into him like a wind and he blows one back 

A portal slowly opens in front of them, drawing itself in a blue circle. It's obvious that the place on the other side is Nightmare world just based on the colours. And that’s all there is, colours, a mixing of green and pink mists following an unending horizon. 

"There's something over there" Victor points into the distance once they're through and he follows his finger to a vague shape.

Since there's no ground they're just floating, it's hard to move in any direction. When Doom snaps his fingers and they're there it's useful. 

It's also terrible, because he isn't ready for what he's seeing, he never will be and he'll never forget. It's seared into his memories and taken place as his waking nightmare. 

Tony's still attached to black tendrils, they hold him up, what's left of him. The stone is still there but blood dribbles out of the sides of it. It's been pulled until it's almost hanging out of a hollow in his chest. The blood paints him. 

God knows if he's conscious but even if he is he cant see them. Old cloth is wrapped over his eyes. Its stained dark and he has dried blood stuck to his cheeks like tears. He doesn't want to think about what that means.

He's also scratched everywhere, a particularly large gash opening the skin an his waist and soaking his legs with blood. 

He's not sure if the sound of swallowing bile is his or Victors. 

"Tony?" He doesn't respond. Victor steps closer and touches his fingers to find a pulse on his neck. Tony jerks with very little energy and Stephens attached to his next words as he quietly croaks them out;

"Please. Just kill me already"

Stephen jerks away so violently his neck cramps. Victor’s hand falls heavily to his side. 

"Tony it's us" he sounds just as broken as Tony. 

His head tips. "Victor? Is Stephen okay?"

Victor turns to look at him and he's not quite sure how to move his lips. "I- I'm here" 

He smiles, it's still beautiful framed with blood. "I might be too fucked to go back to my body"

"You're not staying here forever. We're getting you back" Victor says. 

"Whatever happens, I'm just glad I got a chance to say I love you, Stephen" 

Their eyes don't meet but it feels like they do, it feels like Tony's fixing those round eyes on him and telling him… that. 

Tony loves him.

He opens his mouth to say it back but chokes and suddenly his vision’s blurry. His heart’s filling and bleeding all at once. 

He can just about see Victor watching him. He offers a little smile before turning around and cupping Tony's face in his hands. 

"I'm going to push you back now"

"You're a good guy Victor. Thank you for everything" 

Stephen watches Doom freeze in place. It's probably what he needed to hear. Tony always knows that to say. 

"Save it for my funeral. See you on the other side" He retorts. Then, with the speed of ripping a bandaid, he pushes Tony's chest and his form fades away.

"He'll survive this. He survives everything" he assures. Stephen feels that even though he needs the assurance he's telling himself that more than anything. 

"See you on the other side" He says with no mirth, fading back into their world. 

Stephen does the same. 

He hasn't breathed since Tony got pushed back so when he stumbles out of his pod and sees his vitals on the interface he can finally exhale. Tony's alive, of course he is, they don't come tougher. 

Victor opens up the pod and coaxes Tony out by the wrist. He flops out of it and Stephens there to catch him.

"You're okay. We did it" he whispers, holding him close. He doesn't want to ever let him go.

"Yes. We did" he replies drowsily. It sounds very plain. 

Stephen separates them at arm's length to look at his face. "You oka-"

His eyes aren't right. The irises are matte instead of shiny and there are no pupils. Only dusty brown. His face isn't emoting either, he's not excited or even happy that he made it.

It's like he's empty. 

"Oh no" Stephen remembers Victor and looks to him for an explanation. 

"He didn't make it"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :0


	13. Nightmare Vol.4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony isn't Tony. It's a good thing he has Stephen and Victor in his corner.

"What do you mean?" He looks from Victor to Tony who watches them like a cursed doll.

"His soul is too broken. He can't feel" 

Again he looks at Tony. Nothing, there's no response from him, not even a twitch. "How do we fix it?"

Dooms silence isn't comforting. When he attempts to push out Tony's astral form he's as far from comfortable as he's ever been. What comes out of Tony is a spectre, something from pure horror. It's him that's for sure, but his eyes are black pits dribbling with blood. There's a cut off scream and he's sucked back into his body, that which collapses onto the floor. 

Drawn out seconds pass before Victor crouches to sling Tony over his shoulder. "We're going to the library," he says, rising from a crouch and snapping his fingers. In a pink cloud they're in Kamar Taj.

Wong is in there, as he should be, and he quietly watches them, likely confused by the image. 

Doom settles a more aware Tony in a chair and he’s still a doll, sat limp and distant, waiting to be played with. 

“Wong what do you have on soul reparation?”

The three of them accumulate piles of books on the table and plow through them. Doom even has three floating in front of him that he’s reading simultaneously. Tony just watches. Occasionally Stephen looks at him and the eye contact makes him cold because it isn’t truly there, there’s no warmth or character. 

It’s evident an hour in that all the books outline reattachment and interchange of souls but not putting a broken one back together. 

“A broken soul is a very rare occurrence. Yours didn't even break when you fought Dormammu.” Wong explains.

He pales to imagine what Nightmare did to Tony to push him to actual breakage. “So what do we do?”

Doom looks at Wong and the exchange weighs on the air in the room. “What if we go to Vormir?”

His jaw hardens. “No”

“But you can’t deny it would work” Doom says. 

“Of course it would”

Stephen’s not sure why the hell Wong is so hesitant. “Let’s go then”

“Stephen you don’t know how that place works” Wong isn’t big on emoting so there’s something seriously wrong for him to be so spooked. 

“One doesn’t just go and come back” Tony says. The words feel like they should be matched with warning or concern but they’re nothing, they float on a blank document, his mouth is all that moves. Stephen hates it, he needs him back. 

“I’ll take care of it Wong. You just take care of Tony” Doom snaps his fingers and there’s wind, sun. They’re at the watchtower. Stephens never been and the view is incredible, the city goes on and on until it disappears into mist and the birds seem close enough to touch. 

Doom points at the sky, “Vormir is way up there”

“In the sky?”

“Outside of our galaxy”

“How do we get there?”

Doom watches the sky for a while, like he’s trying to take it all in. “What would you do to get Tony back to himself?”

“Anything” He would die for the guarantee that Tony would be bright and charismatic again, warm and curious. 

A corner of Dooms mouth goes up. “Good. Let’s go” 

In a pink cloud they’re somewhere nothing like Earth. The sky’s black and centred with an eclipsed pink sun, the edge of it glows brightly. There’s water and sand, which is familiar, but they look black beneath the sky. In the distance there’s this huge cliff, it seems to connect with the mist above and it has two pillars at the top of it. 

“This planet is where the soul stone lives” Doom says as they walk toward the cliff. All he’s heard about that stone is how little is known about it, so little it’s almost a myth. 

“How do you know?”

“A small amount of non Earthers have found it. It’s kept under wraps for good reason, mainly to keep it away from Thanos. So you can’t tell people about this” 

“Who?”

“Don’t forget his name. He’s our biggest threat”

“Why? What’s he done?”

“Mass murder mainly. Listen, he’s smart, enough to rival Tony and I, except he could snap us like twigs.”

Dooms quiet for the rest of the trip up the cliff, just looking at things like a tourist, like he needs to remember them before he returns home.

At the top there’s a person in a tattered black. They float. 

“Welcome Victor, son of Werner. Stephen, son of Eugene” The voice echoes around them.

“How did you know?”

“It is my curse to know all who journey here. And to lead those to a treasure I cannot possess” The man lowers to the ground and walks away from them. They follow. 

“What you seek lies in front of you. As does what you fear” The man says when they get to the edge of a cliff. Down below there’s stone ground and the carving of a large circle. He can’t see the soul stone anywhere. 

“We have special circumstances. We need the stone to repair a soul” Doom explains to the spectre. 

“A broken soul?” The red faced man looks beyond them as if in thought. “Might it be Tony, son of Howard?” He concludes like he plucked the information out of the wind. 

“It is”

The man nods slowly. “The sacrifice is different in this case”

Stephen frowns. “What sacrifice?”

“He must lose someone who has love for him” The spectre says, looking over the precipice. 

He understands now, it hits him in a wave of despair and acceptance. To save Tony he must jump.

“Doom… I never got to tell him I love him”

“And you will after this” He yanks him back and steps to the edge. Stephens almost too shocked to be able to grab his arm and pull him away.

“Are you insane? It has to be someone who loves him don’t waste your life to be a he…” Maybe it’s the look in his eyes, or all the evidence coming together, but he realises. “Oh”

He should have known, he should have thought it was strange that Doom was part of his nightmare about Tony. He should have realised what that meant, that Victors worst fear is losing Tony too. 

And because of that his will to die for him is just as strong as his own. 

“You knew from the start you were going to jump”

“I couldn’t walk you in blind and ask you to kill yourself Stephen”

“I would do it. Let me do it” he knows he's talking about death, the end of his life, but it doesn't feel right to stand back and watch Victor do it instead. 

He tries to near the edge but a hand on his chest stops him. “You’re not thinking straight”

“And you are?”

“Yes. Tony loves you. Losing you would break him much further than losing me will” the lost look in his eyes stops him still. It must hurt to have loved a man for so long but never have him. 

“This can’t be the only way. You can’t do this” 

His shoulders are held tight. “Listen to me Stephen. Everything I own and am is his now. There are important things I do that you two will have to take over.”

“Stop- There- no”

Doom crosses his arms. “What? Who’s going to do it? His mum? She’s dead in case you didn’t know”

“And you want to join her?” He snaps back. 

“No, but this is Tony, I’d burn the world for him”

He'd burn the world for Tony too. And that likeness makes losing Victor harder. 

“I can’t let you do it”

“The choice isn’t yours” He sighs for a long moment, “I want to tell you something; sometimes love fades, I don’t know how anyone could stop loving Tony but if you do you have to keep him safe. I’m dying for him to be happy, alive, I don’t want anything less. Okay?” His eyes drill he words in.

He doesn't know how anyone could not love Tony either. 

“Of course. B-”

He’s grabbed tightly by the robes. “And while you love him love him like he deserves, love him like it’s what you were born to, love him like it’s the only reason you’re breathing. He is the universe and if you love him like he’s any less my sacrifice to you both will be wasted. You understand?” 

He's crying. The tears are silent, only trembling lips betraying them. 

Looking at him, understanding his words, it makes Stephen want to cry too, it makes his voice crack, “Victor don’t do this”

He smiles, the most real smile he's seen from him. “Take care of him and think of me like a good memory not a sad one”

When Victor turns his back Stephen already feels like he's lost him. When he tries to stop him he's caged in a pink box. 

He screams for Victor to stop, to step away, to not step off. But he steps off, and in seconds that feel like minutes the box breaks. He doesn't have to stumble forward and see Victors body on the floor at that point to know it's over. 

It's suddenly bright around him. He's sitting in water that doesn't soak. A gem glows warm in his shaky hand. Tony's there, smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Victor :( (why am I sad, I did this lool)
> 
> See ya in the epilogue!


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A window into the product of Victors sacrifice

"I have been falling for 30 minutes!"

"You can handle him from here"

"Yes of course. Thank you very much for your help" Thor offers his hand and Stephen shakes it.

"Good luck"

"Handle me? Who are you?" Loki draws two blades from air.

"Loki" Thor puts his hand out to calm his brother.

Loki strides toward him anyway, ready to attempt attack. "You think you're some kind of Sorcerer? Don't think for a minute you second rate-"

"Alright, babye" with one gesture he gets the two gods out of his hair and to Norway. The silence is beautiful. 

He has time to exhale and scrub his face before there's a familiar glow behind him that has him smiling. Two strong arms wrap around him and he knows Tony has to stretch when he kisses the back of his neck. Stress of work melts away at it.

"Hey, I have some free time"

"And what would the Sorcerer Supreme like to do with this precious time?"

"Go to the beach" he replies next to his ear.

Stephen would do anything, he would bring a whole beach to them if that's what Tony wanted, he would move an ocean. 

So he doesn't hesitate a second in portalling them to the most remote beach on the most remote island he can find, their private paradise. 

They both transform robes into t shirts and shorts and hold hands to walk next to the soft waves. It's hot, but not overly so, like the sun wanted to be perfect for them. 

"I heard you kidnapped Loki"

"And I'm proud of myself for it" he remembers the first year of it all, how little he knew and could do. It's much different now.

Tony snorts "You're terrible. Did it go okay?"

He sighs into the sea breeze. "Thor broke all of my stuff. All of it." 

"Good thing you're dating and MIT graduate" Tony grins, bumping his shoulder. His eyes glow like stars. He is the universe.

"They have a magical artefact course? That's really cool"

"Haha funny" Tony still smiles, he still rubs his thumb across his hand. 

They walk for a bit. Stephen thinks of Victor. He thinks of him a lot, being around Tony and loving him so overwhelmingly brings him back to Vomir and the pink light making Victors tears glisten. He owes his life to that man, the only reason he's walking hand in hand with bright and beautiful Tony is him. 

"What were you doing before now?" He asks after a while. 

Tony pauses, pushing out his lip like he always does when he's guilty of something. "Napping"

He can't hold back his laugh. 

"No listen I had this weird dream, you know when you're having a dream and in the dream you gotta pee but you're like oh my god there's no bathrooms what am I going to do and then you wake up-"

"And you actually have to pee?"

"Exactly"

"Yea that's common"

"Yea! That's the point I'm trying to make. I dreamt we had a kid. We named him after Victor. So naturally…"

"You woke up and thought that we were having a kid?" Tony nods. "We aren't"

"It was so real!" 

"If we wanted a kid we couldn't be what we are"

"Why not?" He knows why, he just wishes it wasn't true. Stephen knows because he feels the same. 

"People try to kill you every Tuesday Tony" it's gotten worse since his soul was repaired almost two years ago. The soul stone absorbed into his one and now his energy signature is so high he's targeted across the cosmos. They're used to dealing with it but it keeps Stephen up at night, the fear that someone will rip Tony from his arms as the world sleeps. And Tony would already do anything for Peter let alone his own kid. 

"So I should die without a child to pass my knowledge down to?"

"What about Peter?"

"Stephen I love that boy but maybe we should have our own kid"

He had nothing to say back. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to but he'd be lying if he said he was ready. It's so dangerous. 

Tony circles so they're face to face and holds both his hands. "What is it? Is it the commitment? You aren't ready? Or is it that we're not married, because we can be, I love you so much and we can be" 

"Tony are you asking me to marry you and have children with you in the same conversation?"

He only thinks for a second. "Essentially"

He's so happy he laughs from it. "You're nuts" 

When he grabs Tony and kisses him within an inch of his life he figures he could never say no to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cute lil ending. 
> 
> I have another almost complete fic in my drafts, would you guys be into that? Idk

**Author's Note:**

> Whacha think? Let me know. As usual I update in 7 day intervals maximum.


End file.
